Born From A Wish(Cloud Story)
by AERTHLUVA
Summary: Set almost a year after the attempted Reunion, Avalanche has once again settled into a normal flow of life, that is until a mysterious newcomer by the name of June arrives and stirs everything up again. Clinging only onto hope and Cloud, she tries to find the truth of her origins and some way home.
1. Chapter 1

Name: June  
Age: N/A, looks 23  
Hair: Long wavy & Black  
Eyes: Mako Green  
Height: 5'4  
Family: N/A

_For a long time, I sat back and watched others lives content by their happiness and saddened by their tears. It wasn't until I finally got my chance did I truly learn what it meant to feel, my first days...their were toughies._

-Cloudy with A Chance of Rain-

The city of Edge, nestled on the outskirts of what used to be Sector 4 & 3 of Midgar was a confusing place for newcomers. Especially for one such as June, no one made any sense to her and they all moved through the gloomy city as if they had a million and one places to be.

Even as she pleaded with them for answers she was pushed aside and battered with the same tired phrases.

"No time, no time!"

"Sorry purdy lady gotta get home!"

"Um...yeah...no...yeah...what?"

It had began to become tiring, but she had to press on.

"What...don't speak of such things...Jenova...pfft!"

One man had spat as he pushed past her with a bevy of children skipping on behind him, one of the children even had the nerve to make a mean face at her.

June slouches over grabbing the bottom of her white and pink dress, "sorry to bother you...," she sighs for what felt like the millionth time.

She looks up studying the moving crowd before her, even the way they dressed was different, she in her dress, brown sandals and silver jewlery seemed much too extravagant for them...silly almost.

"They look as though their prepared for war..."

She stands straight now frowning down at the ground, her reflection in the puddles of water in the earth did nothing but confuse her. In all of her years of consciouness she'd never seen herself or even imagined what she really may have looked like.

June sighs again, "I just wanna go home!."

She looks hopefully up at the grey skies that covered the town, she just wanted to be heard by someone or something even. She sighs closing her eyes and lowering her head.

In her imagination she could feel the cool waves of the Lifestream around her, the simplicity of its green waves, the nice people who presided there. It all seemed like a distant memory now.

June glares down the puddles, maybe if she set her mind to it she could abort this stupid mission and go home free as can be.

"Focus girl focus!" She grumbles to herself clenching her fists tightly.

June stands there glaring at the puddles, hoping that all at once they'd turn green and suck her in, however when the puddles begin to shake fear and disbelief replace her determination.

"Did I-...DID I!" She screeches grasping her cheeks.

"Outta the way little girl with a full bladder comin through!"

June turns to see a large black man holding a small asian looking child over his shoulders, he pushed through the crowd carelessly. June could tell the his rude behavior annoyed the people but his large stature and gun...

"Gun a-arm..." June stutters when he pushes past her, he stops abruptly turning to her.

"Yeah, what it's to yah!?"

June backs away when he raises a brow at her, she brings her hand to her head racking her brain for outs.

"Um...well...its just that...I've...um never saw...um...someone...with..." She trails off when she notices a smile on the man's face.

"Damn, calm down little lady!" He bellows laughing at her.

June raises a brow before letting out a slow nervous laugh of her own.

He sobers rather quickly once again putting her on edge, "well see yah!" he shouts turning to run away from her but June grabs his arm before he could completely pull away, he turns to look at her and she lowers her gaze.

"Um...could you please tell me...where can I find...Jenova." She whispers sqeezing her eyes shut. She grimaces at the silence that follows, almost imeddiatly she pulls away uttering sorry repeatedly.

"I-I didn't mean to-"

"Whaddaya know about Jenova?" He mutters turning to her again.

June peeks up at him cringing when she notices the hatred in his eyes, she clears her throat as she begins to tell him her story.

"Well, I'm from the Lifestream...I've come here to relieve the world of the virus that is Jenova...but no one will help me you know...I just want to do my duty and go home...but..." She trails off when even the little girl's eyes widen.

The man growls making June cower away, he grabs her arm yanking her closer.

"I shoulda known...you look like trouble." He grumbles looking her over.

June tries to turn away from his hateful eyes but she could still feel the intensity of their dislike.

"Your eyes...they look just like Cloud's..."

June turns to him upon hearing the name 'Cloud', she breaks away from him clasping her hands together.

"Now we're onto something...Cloud...I was supposed to find this...Cloud!" She sings jubilantly.

The man looks up at the child who had seemingly forgot that she had to go the bathroom.

June grabs his arm, this time forgetting all her fears.

"Take me to this...Cloud!"

The man yanks away shaking his head, "nah-uh I'm not leading you back to the base...you could be evil...in fact I'm convinced of it yer evil!"

June smiles sweetly up at him, "evil...no way!"

He glances back at the child who smiles back down at June, " so you think she's clean huh Marlene?"

Marlene nods looking down at him, he lets out a heavy breath before jerking his head backward.

"Cloud's at the bar...we'd better hurry...who knows how long he'll be there."

June nods rushing ahead but he grabs her again, she turns her happiness fading back into confused fear.

"What's your name?" He mutters.

She sighs crossing her arms gently across her stomach. Name what was in name...that he needed to know right now?

"June...and yours?" She says more out of manners than the need to know.

"Barret...Barret Wallace," Barret says nodding to her, " and this...this is-."

"Marlene." June says nodding to the girl, Marlene smiles nodding her head.

June turns away walking through the crowd again, Barret scratches his head watching her go.

"Do yah think I'm doing that right thing...Cloud doesn't take well to things like this." Barret mutters looking up at Marlene, she shrugs.

"I don't know...but daddy...I really gotta go!" Marlene groans squirming.

Barret gasps grabbing a tighter hold of her and whisking her past June, June gasps saying "wait for me!" She giggles running after them, maybe if she stuck with them she could go home in no time.

By the time they reach the 7th Heaven Bar June's get up go had got up and left her, the prospects of meeting with the harbringer of the world sent chills up her spine. Would he resist...would he...go willingly.

Barret leads her into the bar, it was a small cozy place, wood seemed to be the theme and alcohol slinging its purpose. A young woman stood behind the bar filling to the brim a tall mug, she slides across the bar in into the resting hand of a tall blonde man.

"See now...I don't know about you Tifa but I'm not one much for marriage...why she's...she just asking for too damn much!"

Tifa sighs leaning her hip against the bar, "well Cid...you guys have been together so long...its only normal that'd she'd want a wedding."

Cid slams his fist down on the table as Barret lets Marlene down from his shoulders, she rushes past calling greetings to them.

"Yeah whatever...hey Marlene...but yer not hearin me Tifa...she's old...why would I a man of the skies wanna marry sumbody so damn old!" Cid growls shaking his fist at her.

June smiles nervously at Barret who waves her forward, Cid turns to them and he grins when his eyes land on June.

"Now that's the kind of girl I deserve...tight and young...with a pretty young face...you single girl!?"

June cocks her head and Tifa sighs, Cid frowns when June stares at him in puzzlment.

"Didn't you hear me!?" He shouts but Tifa cuts in by pulling his mug of alchol away.

"You've had enough Cid!" She scolds pouring his drink into the sink, Cid growls slamming his fists down on the bar.

"Who the hell are you to tell me...that I've had enough god damnit!"

Tifa smirks, "well Cid I'm the one with the liquor license and the deed to the bar...oh and the choice to serve whoever I want...and I choose not to serve you anymore tonight!"

Cid grumbles to himself turning away in his seat, Tifa now turns to June and Barret with a smile.

"Oh...Barret a date how nice."

Barret sighs, "she is not my date...she's here for Cloud."

Upon hearing Cloud's name June becomes giddy all over again, she clasps her hands together nodding her head.

Cid now turns back to Tifa with a sly grin, "hmm a hot tamale coming to see Cloud...how does it feel...hmmm?"

Tifa rolls her eyes at Cid looking at June again, "he's upstairs I'll get him."

June nods her head watching as Tifa climbs the stairs, Barret looks down at June with hestitation writ on his face.

"Now tell me...what exactly have you heard about Cloud?" He mutters folding his arms.

June shrugs, she hadn't heard anything in particular...just find Cloud...find Cloud over and over again in her sleep before she awoke in a church with the town.

"Nothing...I just know to find him." June says nodding her head.

Cid laughs, "oh girl...what are you here for...Cloud isn't interested...I think he's gay...he don't work as much no more...he's...finding himself again...that's fucking gay in itself if you ask me."

June smiles at Cid, his fire, she liked it.

He raises a brow, "you tryin to flirt with me?"

June blushes looking away, flirting was not something that she did...or had ever done.

Tifa comes downstairs followed by a blonde man, he wore a sort of dull expression and the way he carried himself showed a certain kind of flippant attitude.

"Well here she is." Tifa says holding her hand out to June.

June smiles at Cloud and he quirks a brow, this man was everything that June imagined he'd be, tall...ish...strong...he looked the part...and...and...

June lowers her gaze, his eyes; they were so soft and sweet...just like she'd imagined.

Cloud looks at the others who also watched June with mild confusion, Barret sighs saying "found her in the square...she said some pretty strange things but when she mentioned Cloud's name I knew I had to bring her here."

Cid grins at Cloud, "seems like you got yerself a bit of a problem heh...playing with fire gotcha burned huh Cloud?"

Cloud raises a brow and Cid begins to cackle.

"What do you want?" Cloud asks folding his arms, June looks up at him and Barret nudges her.

"Tell him what you told me." Barret mutters to her.

June nods looking at Cloud.

"Um...my name is June and I come from the Lifestream...," she frowns when they begin to look at her as if she had three heads but she takes a deep breath carrying on anyway, "I've been sent here on a mission...wipe Jenova completely from this world."

Cloud quirks a brow and Cid seemed, for the first tme, at a loss for words.

"But um...on my way here...something or someone kept telling me to find Cloud...and you're the only Cloud I've seen so far." June mutters shrugging her shoulders.

June looks down folding her hands, it felt strange telling them this but this was her story and this Cloud had to hear it.

"Are you outta yer mind girl!" Cid shouts scaring June, she shakes her head backing away.

"People don't come FROM the Lifestream...the GO INTO the Lifestream!" He shouts shaking his fist at her.

June gulps, she knew it would be hard for them to understand but she tries still.

"I've never had an wordly incarnation...this...is my first time in this world...so maybe it works backwards sometimes." She says peeking up at him.

Cid gasps looking at Tifa who watched Cloud in confusion, Cid lays his head on the bar saying "ok Tifa yer right...I'm drunk."

June folds her arms looking away, "I know this may sound strange to you...you have never been to the Lifestream...and even if you had...you wouldn't get it...for some its different...for me...it's different."

Tifa puts a hand to her hip, "well...what do you guys think?"

Barret rubs his head saying "I don't know what to think...we could assume that's she's some crazy lady with a serious Cloud obsession...I mean he is a hero to many."

June gasps and Tifa shrugs, she turns to June saying "but she doesn't seem like she's lying...she looks too scared...and too innocent."

It was like torture, listening to them make their observations of her but it was something she'd have to endure...she sighs, maybe this would end if Cloud would say something already.

Cid sits up saying "I say she's an old flame of Cloud's trying to get into his pants one more time...and I also say that Cloud is gay...or he wouldn't even be standing here right now he'd be doing his duties as a man...and fufilling this very alluring woman's needs...but hey...I'm me...it's me...Cid...and I'm drunk."

Cloud looks June over, he folds his arms shaking his head suddenly.

"I think she's crazy."

June gasps and just like that her hopes of salvation are destroyed, he glares at her saying "you really need help...and to come here with that story...let me ask you a question...what makes you so special that you can jump in between there and here?"

June searches her brain for an answer, an answer to a question she didn't truly know, she remembered the Lifestream...she remembered the people who gathered there and the dreams and memories of their reality that had been shared with her. She didn't remember when her existence started or how it did, she just knew that she had a mission...spoken by the same voice that given her the incentive to find Cloud.

"I-I don't know...but...I do know that Jenova still lives on this planet and that...he still affects the people here in some way...maybe lying in wait...but the people...in the Lifestream they still have dreams and...they want the world healed...especially the Cetra who laid down their lives to save this planet...you may think I'm crazy but I know what I'm saying is true." June whispers looking away.

June looks down, even her speech made no sense to her, it still didn't answer his question, she wipes at her eyes when tears begin to form, she may have been new to this but her dignity would not allow them to see her cry.

"I'm-I'm gonna go...clearly I've got the wrong man...I'm sorry to have bothered you." She turns walking over to the door, she gives one last sigh before walking out of the bar.

"Now what?" June whispers rubbing her arm as she makes it down the darkened streets.

Admittedly, her story would sound strange to people such as them, they had no experiance with this sort of thing. June looks up at the sky, stars sparkled down at her and the moon seemed to consume the sky.

"Such a beautiful place though." She utters taking in a deep breath.

If only someone would listen to her and explain to her their side, what were their thoughts on the Lifestream and the people who joined it, their thoughts on Jenova and his wherabouts.

"Oh this is too hard..." June moans grabbing her head.

How could she figure out where Jenova was, get rid of him...and get home and she didn't even know anything about herself or the people around her, so far everything she knew came from the memories of the people who had once lived.

They taught her the norms and some of what to expect, but clearly nothing about socializing within the world.

June walks on until she could no more, she plops onto a small yellow disk in the middle of the earth, looking around she was surrounded by a lot of colorful metals but the area was ravaged.

"And empty...and-," she pauses when she hears a loud howling in the distance, "and scary..."

June whimpers pulling her legs against her and burying her face in between her knees, she takes a deep breath before letting out a gut-wrenching sob. Not only did she not find Jenova, she made herself look like a complete whack job in this whole new world.

"I-I j-just want to go ho-home."

June lays down on the dirty yellow disk preparing herself to cry on throughout the night.

She sniffles rubbing her finger in slow circles on the disk, round and round until she drifts off into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning, she's awakened by thundering noises and rain, June sits up on the disk, she groans when she realizes that she was still in the same position as before.

She wraps her arms around her body standing up, "no use in staying here anymore..."

She turns walking toward the open part of town again, the time the people seemed to move slower and take more measured steps, June looks up at the sky, the rain came down in sheets.

The day before the weather was beautiful, and everyone seemed to be in such a hurry; June shakes her head in disbelief, such a confusing world with so many confusing people. June walks ahead deciding that maybe if she kept walking she'd run into a miracle, shelter.

The rain in a way was comforting but it also held something much scarier for June, her second day in this world...the feeling of the rain washing down her body...it proved to her that this was the real deal. There was no going back, not without Jenova's influence washed away.

June pauses when she approaches a small shop, it was broken down but people still seemed to pour in, on the side of the shop sat a group of children, they were huddled together and looking down at something. June looks up, their heads were protected by a ledge above them coming from the shop.

June walks over and the children look up with wide eyes, "we didn't do nothin," they shout in unison. June smiles gently, whatever they had they probably shouldn't have had.

"I just wanted to know...could I please sit with you...I want to get out of the rain and i have no where else to go." June says lowering her head.

A small boy in the front of the group looks back at his friends, one of them scratch their cheek and the other shrugs.

"Sure thing!" He shouts up at her, June smiles moving for but he grabs her wrist his eyes now dark and almost ominous.

"But you have to promise not to tell anyone of what you saw today." He whispers.

June looks past him to see a glowing green orb on the ground in the middle of their huddle, she quirks a brow, the orb seemed to give off an otherworldly aura.

June sighs, "I promise."

He looks at his friends again and they nod to him, he moves away allowing June to sit on a crate to the far back of the huddle.

"I heard you can do crazy things with this stuff!" One of the children exclaim, June leans over to get a better look but a sharp look from the children pushes her back into the 'adult' corner.

"Yeah well I'm gonna learn tah use it heh-heh." The first little boy exclaims.

They glance at her before going back to their examination of the small orb, June crosses her legs and her arms over them watching and waiting for their next big discovery about the orb.

"Hey you guys, whatcha doin!?"

Everyone looks up and June gasps, Marlene ran over to them holding a rose colored umbrella over her head. She gasps when she sees the orb on the ground between them, she places a hand on her hip glaring down at the boy who grabs it and stuffs it into his pocket,

"I told you that we're not supposed to touch it!" Marlene exclaims.

The boy smirks back at his friends, "yeah well...you're not the boss of me."

Marlene gasps and he chuckles, she glances back saying "well fine then...but I'm telling!"

The boy stands now, "no you're not...if you tell...we...we'll...we-"

"Do what?"

June looks up to see Cloud standing there with his arms folded, the boys mouth drops and the two stand looking ready to run away.

Marlene smiles up at Cloud before moving next to him with a triumphant smirk on her face, the boy rubs his haed furiously.

"Well...uh...well...um..."

"Give it to me." Cloud says holding out his hand.

The boy looks back at his friends as he pulls the orb out of his pocket and hands it to Cloud, "you take care of it ya hear."

June sniggers, the boys turn glaring back at her and she stops.

She looks down when Cloud looks at her, she could feel his eyes picking her apart piece by piece.

"What are you doing here?" He asks folding his arms again.

June shrugs and he sighs.

"Don't you have somewhere to go?"

She shakes her head, Cloud looks down at Marlene before saying "stay here...I have to take Marlene home...I'll be back for you."

June gasps and Marlene grins.

"In fact we came here looking for you...lucky right!?" She says with a closed eyed grin.

June looks at Cloud who now looked annoyed with Marlene, he jerks his head away before walking out of June's view, Marlene nods to her before following him, June sighs looking at her hands. Maybe things would look up now?

"Hey!"

June looks up, Marlene stood there with a playful grin.

"Don't go anywhere ok?"

June nods and Marlene rushes off again.

The boys look at one another now, the one closest to June grins.

"He told you Shoji ha-ha-ha!"

Shoji glares at him saying "whatever...I just didn't want to embarress him in front of the ladies."

June smiles and he turns to her, "you know...you're pretty cute...wanna go out sometime?"

June raises a brow, the look on his face was one of dire seriousness, she looks away trying to wash the image of his gaze from her mind.

"I-I...ha-I..." She tries to fight the urge to laugh but nothing would work.

Shoji gasps when she bursts into laughter, "hey...what's so funny...most girls would jump at the chance to date a guy like me!"

June holds up her hand saying "stop...please...ha-ha-ha!"

The third boy begins to laugh as well and the other follows.

June wipes away a tear prepared to turn the boy down in gentler way but when he steps in front of her with his chest poked out and 'muscles' flexed she couldn't help but laugh some more.

Shoji slouches over saying "hey...stop laughing."

June pulls herself together again saying "I'm sorry but...I'm just too big for you."

Shoji quirks a brow and she nods.

"Ah...you like blondie ey...he's alright but he's got nothing on me." Shoji mutters jerking his thumb toward his face.

June quirks a brow, blondie?

"I assure you there is no blondie in my life...but...I don't want to because you are simply too little...I'm sure that with your...extensive knowledge of...the world you will have no trouble finding someone," June mutters still trying withold laughter.

He nods saying "yeah well...your loss."

June nods as he turns away pulling the other boys into a long drawn out conversation how they planned to get Marlene back.

Next: Seventh Heaven


	2. Chapter 2

-7th Heaven-

Shoji stuffs his hands into his pockets turning to look up at the darkening sky, he glances at June with a raised brow.

"Ya sure he's coming," he mutters turning to her.

June shrugs placing her hands on her lap, it had been a long time since Cloud and Marlene had left her, the rain had stopped and the already grey skies were turning dark again. June leans over pressing her hands into her stomach, it felt numb and sharp twangs of pain shot through her.

Shoji looks back at his friends apprehensively before walking over to June, she looks up at him and he frowns.

"Hey, what's wrong!?"

June shrugs and he sighs, "can't you do anything else?"

As June goes to speak a loud rumbling noise erupts from her stomach, she gasps grabbing it again, Shoji scratches his cheek.

"You're hungry...ha-ha why didn't ya just say so?"

He reaches into his pocket yanking out a large hunk of fudge, "but only because you're so cute."

June cocks her head when he pushes the brown sticky mass into her hands, he pulls back licking his fingers.

June raises the mound to her lips and its smell wafts into her nose sending her stomach into righteous fury once again, she looks at the boys once more before biting into the chocolately treat.

It was like an explosion in her mouth, June moans stuffing more of it down making Shoji and the other boys laugh.

Shoji turns to his friends saying "too bad we gotta go home soon...my mom said I can't bring girls home...so we're gonna have to leave ya."

June wipes off her mouth nodding, the prospect of spending the night next to this store didn't sound too fun but it was better than that amusement park of terrors from the night before.

June nods her head to them saying "thank you...for everything."

The boys laugh rubbing the back of their heads in unison, Shoji turns to her holding out his fist.

"Don't worry, we'll be back bright and early tomorrow!"

June smiles and he turns leading the other boys away, once their gone June stands creeping over to the edge of the building, people still made their ways through the streets but no one paid her any mind, she was like a forgotten person; lost in the shadows of society.

The sound of a jingling noise draws her attention to someone standing next to her, a woman stood at the door of the store, she folds her arms with a sigh.

"You've been out here all day...that's called loitering ya know?"

June looks down giving the woman a chance to look her over, she sighs.

"You don't have a family...anywhere to go...and look at you...all messy."

June looks at the woman with a quirked brow, did she just come out there to make June feel badly about herself?

The woman shakes her head when June gives her no answer.

"Come on."

She turns opening the store door and holding it open for June, June glances back at the corner she'd been in all day.

What if Cloud came back and she wasn't there.

"Well?"

June nods following the woman into the store and upon the doors closing she hears the jingling noise again, two bells sat above the store door.

Before June could turn her complete focus to the bells the woman comes back holding a mound of clothes, she pushes them into June's arms saying "the bathroom is in the back."

June looks down at the clothes and then up at the woman who grimaces.

"My mother always taught me to never knock someone down without extending a hand to lift them up...I've watched you all day...you're a weird one...just sitting out there with the kids all day but...you look like you need help."

June smiles saying "thank you."

The woman smiles as well, "you're welcome...by the way...what's your name?"

"June," June utters nodding her head.

The woman does the same saying "well my name's Kay."

As June goes to speak again Kay pushes her gently to the bathroom, "I find it hard to talk to you while you have chocolate all over your face."

She pushes June into the bathroom closing the door behind her, June looks around.

The room was mainly white but little golden ducklings swam across the blue spotted wallpaper that covered the entire room, June sets her clothes on the top of a blue spotted bin before turning to the shower. She could remember some of what she'd been shown about showers, she leans over touching one of the metal knobs. She turns it and water shoots into the tub, June sniggers. What a funny little contraption.

June glances back at the door before turning another knob and the water pressure picks up, she reaches over touching the water, it was a little cold but nothing she couldn't handle.

"Time to get clean."

Kay looks up when June walks into the main store area again, she nods saying "there ya go...I knew you were pretty under all that gunk."

June smiles looking down at herself, she wore black form fitting pants, a white t shirt and a large creme colored cardigan with sleeves so long they nearly covered her fingers. On her feet were boots that Kay had managed to stuff into the mound of clothes.

Kay walks around the cash register saying "so tell me...where are you from?"

June grimaces, what if she told her and Kay decided to banish her like everyone else had.

June looks down and Kay raises a brow, just as she goes to press on June some more the door opens behind them.

Cloud looks at June then Kay and then back at June again.

"Sorry I took so long...Fenrir broke down...so...," he mutters folding his arms.

June nods, though she didn't know what Fenrir was she was happy just to see him.

She walks over to him before turning to Kay again, "thank you."

"Uh...yeah you're welcome," Kay mutters cocking her head, clearly she had questions but something kept her from asking them.

"Come," Cloud mutters walking out of the store, June waves to Kay before following him.

Once outside June turns to Cloud with a small smile, he frowns and she clasps her hands together.

"I thought you weren't coming," she says nodding, "I was...scared."

Cloud nods turning and walking again, "even if I wanted to leave you behind...Marlene wouldn't let me."

June cocks her head walking behind him, he glances back at her saying "we're taking the train."

The train, June knew of trains, large locomotives that carried many people over large distances, she rubs her hands together.

"Why can't we walk?"

Cloud shrugs a shoulder saying "it's dark and monsters come out at night...I don't feel like dealing with them again."

"Oh," June mutters looking ahead again.

Cloud frowns when he feels June's gaze on him, he glances at her saying "what?"

June leans over bringing a finger to her cheek, "what made you want to help me?"

Cloud sighs shaking his head, June looks ahead again; he wasn't much of a talker and many of his words to her seemed sort of short and dismissive.

June drops her arm, maybe now wasn't the time to speak of such things, maybe he just didn't feel like it at the moment.

In silence they make it to an old train station, dozens of people stood around on platforms chattering away about their plans to get home.

Cloud leads June onto a platform and over to one of the waiting trains, he goes into his pocket pulling out two slips of paper, the woman at the trains entrance smiles saying "welcome Mr. Strife. Cloud nods back at June before leading her onto the train.

June gasps, the train was truly a sight to behold.

Even more people sat on the train but their faces were set and their demeanor not as open as the people on the platform, a woman moved down the middle of the aisle with a small buggy carrying treats and drinks. On the bottom of the buggy sat a little girl who reached up every now and then stealing treats off the top.

Cloud moves forward taking the first seat available to him, June follows sitting across from him, he looks at her and she smiles.

"You said you didn't know anyone...what about that woman in the store?"

June shrugs saying "she just decided to help me."

Cloud turns to the window next to him not giving her anymore feedback, June places her hands on her lap looking down; it would be a long ride she could feel it.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa...looky what we have here!"

Cloud scoffs and June looks up to see two men standing above their seats with grins on their faces.

"Cloud," one of men shout holding out his hands.

June looks him over, he had the reddest hair she'd ever seen and it was in a messy ponytail down his back, the man next to him wore shades and his head was bald.

The man falls into the seat next to June, "long time no see yo!"

"Not long enough..."

The man grimaces, "ey ya don't have to be rude...eh...ey!"

June gasps at the man's sudden outburst, he leans out of the booth calling to the buggy woman, she scoffs walking over to them, the man grabs a bottle of water saying "yeah thanks."

He cracks open the water taking a long swig before holding it out to Cloud, "you don't have to be mean Cloud we're on the same side now."

"Heh-heh Reno don't be rude...I think we're interrupting something," the bald man mutters nodding to June.

Reno looks at June with a smile, "hey a cutie!"

June smiles saying "June."

Reno pushes his messy bangs back saying " Reno...hey cutie what are you doing with Cloud..."

June looks at Cloud who still watched the window with his melancholic gaze, she rubs her arm and he looks at her, she looks at Reno saying "we're...going to the bar."

Cloud rolls his eyes looking at the window again, "when is this train going to start."

Reno frowns looking at him and as he goes to speak the train starts up, June's eyes light up and she presses close to the window to watch the passing scenery.

"So Cloud, what are you doing in town, everybody knows you don't stick around here too long?"

Cloud looks at him, "why are you talking to me?"

Reno laughs and the other man does as well.

"Oh Cloud you never change...Rude and I just wanted to say hello...make some small talk but you're always the same," Reno mutters shaking his head.

Cloud cocks his head saying "really...tell me...why are you riding the train when Shinra provides you with vehicles."

Reno shakes his water bottle at Cloud saying "that's official business."

Rude nods shifting his gaze to the end of the car, he nudges Reno saying "look."

Reno turns in the seat to look at Rude watched, he snorts turning back to Cloud and June.

"Fucking punks...," he mutters taking another sip of his water.

June looks at him and he smiles at her, "sit back babe...Reno will keep you safe."

Cloud snorts and Reno narrows his eyes at him, he pats June on the arm before standing and he and Rude make their way down the car, June scoots to the edge of the seat peering around to watch them.

Reno takes a black stick off his side pointing it in the face of a young man, the man laughs looking back at his friends, June glances back at Cloud who watched the window again, she turns back to the debacle at the end of the train just in time to see one of man stand and push Reno into Rude.

"Stop it," the buggy woman shouts rushing down the car.

June gasps looking at Cloud again but this time he already watched, she scoots closer to the end of the seat only to fall forward onto the floor, she laughs to herself glancing back at Cloud who watched her with what looked like boredom. She sighs going to stand but another shout from the end of the train brings her to her knees again.

The men had gotten up and this time one of them held a red glowing orb in his hand, he bucks in Reno and Rude sending them onto the laps of the people across from them, the men suddenly begin running down the car, June gasps when they come toward her she tries to pull herself to her feet but they were coming too fast. Cloud stands yanking her into the booth, she falls into her seat and walks out of the booth following the men. June goes to peer out again but Reno and Rude running past her pushes her back into the booth, she rushes out into the car to see the men moving down the cars and further through the train. She glances back at the watching people before following.

Just as June makes it to the car they had taken their stand in a large explosion is set off at the end of the car, the back of the train is blown open and a large dragon appears at the end of the train.

"Aghh...what are we supposed to do now!?"

June looks at Reno who ran in the other direction of the dragon, the group of men crowd onto the back of the dragon.

"So long suckers," they yell in unison as the dragon pulls away from the train and the people in the train are yanked toward the opening, Cloud grunts digging his sword into the bottom of the train to hold himself in place. June falls into a seat nearly crushing her ribs in the process.

"Cloud," she calls reaching for him, he looks at her and he frowns.

Reno suddenly comes rolling down the car toward the hole in the train's end, June gasps when she stumbles forward falling into Cloud's sword, she holds her head; luckily it was the back-end.

"Rude...help," Reno sputters grabbing the leg of a seat, Rude nods launching himself forward only to throw himself off the train.

"Rude...noooooo," Reno shouts.

June turns getting to her knees, maybe she could do something to help, they couldn't hold out for much longer and who knew what would happen if they got thrown off the train like Rude, she struggles to her feet using Cloud's position in front of her to help her keep her balance.

She closes her eyes trying to think, what could she do?

"I'm...losing...my grip," Reno screams.

June opens her eyes saying "please...don't let go."

She looks at Cloud who still held firm to his sword but she could see his body beginning to shake, she pushes past him going to reach for Reno only to be thrown forward herself, she screams waiting for the long journey to the ground but it never comes. She groans when she hits a wall, Reno scoots forward when the pull of the train stops, Cloud loosens his grip on his sword turning to see June leaning against a large pale blue barrier, she moans holding her head.

Reno whimpers grabbing his face then running his hands down his cheeks to his chest, "I'm alive," he shouts throwing his fist into the air.

"All passengers going to Edge...we will be disembarking in five minutes...all passengers going to Edge gather your things."

Reno stands turning to look at the barrier as well, he folds his arms about to comment on it but his eyes widen and his face drains of color.

"Rude!"

He turns rushing through the train calling for the train to stop.

Cloud walks over to June who moans shaking her head, he bends down in front of her and she leans forward suddenly falling into his chest.

"Out," Cloud mutters shaking her gently, he looks up when the train slows to a stop and the barrier fades. He sighs getting to his feet, now his interest was picqued, she had no Materia that he could see and nothing outwardly special about her stood out to him either but she managed to create a barrier large enough to cover the train.

Cloud lifts her into his arms jumping off the end of the train.

Tifa looks up when Cloud kicks open the bar door, in his arms lay a sleeping June, Tifa tosses aside the dishrag walking over to them.

"What happened," she mutters folding her arms.

Cloud shrugs saying "she did something...that...she tired herself out I guess..."

Tifa quirks a brow when Cloud walks toward the stairs, Cloud and his short answers.

Before he goes up he pauses saying "Tifa...have you been to the church?"

Tifa shakes her head, "no...why?"

Cloud shakes his head walking up the stairs, Tifa shakes her head walking back around the bar and picking up the dishrag to finish washing the dishes.

Suddenly the door behind her slams open again making her drop the rag again in frustration, in two months the door had to be fixed five times, between Cid, Cloud, and Yuffie's kicks the door didn't stand a chance.

"Hey Tifa!"

Tifa turns to see Yuffie toting a large bag over her shoulder, she drops the bag on the bar as she falls onto a stool.

"Hello Yuffie...what brings you here this late," Tifa asks leaning against the bar.

Yuffie snorts and Tifa sighs, that's how Yuffie started all of her outlandish stories.

"Yeah well...you know how my dad and is crazy and stuff...well...he's tryin ta get me married!"

Tifa raises a brow, what was with all the marriage drama in the group.

"Like engaged and stuff to some fuddy duddy dude in Wutai...and I'm all like...heck no...not me...not Yuffie Kirasagi that greatest ninja in all the world...I'm all like come on man...I'm too young...too free...too-...and he's he's all like well that's the problem," Yuffie grumbles.

Yuffie flips her short hair before continuing her story.

"And I'm all like...not happening daddy-O...I'm a free bird ya know...and so...we argued for days...until I just and couldn't take it anymore...and I left so now-"

Tifa grimaces, she knew what was coming now, Yuffie did it every time she and her father got into it. Not that Tifa didn't like the company it was just that having Yuffie around was like having another child, she didn't clean up, cook or even bother to help and she still hadn't gotten over her kleptomania, instead of Materia she'd turned her obsession to random items from random angry people who randomly showed up at the bar for a random beating.

"You can stay," Tifa sighs.

Yuffie squeals grabbing her bag and rushing up stairs, Tifa puts a hand to her hip sighing.

"What did you do..." Cloud mutters looking June over who lay in bed still asleep, he sighs folding his arms, he turns walking over to the the empty dresser.

He had jobs to do with Cid so if she didn't wake up soon he didn't know when he would be able to get some answers from her, Cloud turns to leave but a loud stomping down the hall brings him to a halt.

"No," he whispers when he hears her, the very bane of his exsistence.

"Cloud...where ya at man!?"

Yuffie rushes down the hall past the room, Cloud breathes a sigh of relief but suddenly she backs back to the front of the door.

"Cloud," she shouts hugging him.

Cloud gently pushes her away and she sniggers, she turns to look at June and then she looks at Cloud again with a raised brow.

"Ooh a girlfriend...how cute," she teases poking him in the stomach.

Cloud scoffs walking past her out of the room, "she's not my girlfriend."

Yuffie follows saying "oh so who is she?"

Cloud shrugs, in truth he didn't really know but he had plans to find out.

"Her name is June...that's all I know," Cloud mutters walking into his bedroom.

Yuffie nods walking over but she stops at the threshold, Cloud had clearly taught her well.

"So...she's just a guest...sleeping in my favorite room!?"

Cloud narrows his eyes at her and she frowns, Cloud walks over to the door before shutting it in her face.

"Fine Cloud, keep being a jerk!"

Cloud sits on his bed shaking his head, he was happy to be leaving; he didn't have the patience for Yuffie at the moment.

**Next: Learning More of the World**


	3. Chapter 3

-Learning More of the World-

"Hmm, still out huh," Tifa mutters walking into June's room.

She walks around the bed leaning against the dresser, she was hoping that June would be awake so that she could eat breakfast with the rest of the group and tell them more of herself but with the way June lay it didn't seem like that would be happening any time soon

Tifa looks up when Marlene and Denzel rush into the room, Marlene saunters over to the bed placing her hands on the bedding, she looks back at Tifa saying "wow she's been asleep so long."

Tifa nods, "yeah but be quiet you two...don't want to wake her."

Marlene nods turning back to June, Denzel rubs his arm saying "who...is she?"

Tifa shrugs walking over to the door, she holds a hand out for Marlene and Marlene rushes over to her.

"Well let's go eat those pancakes, hm?"

"OK." Marlene and Denzel say in unison.

As they leave the room June opens her eyes, she props herself up on her elbows yawning, Marlene had indeed awaken her.

"Pretty room..."

The room was decorated in beige and green and it's lace curtains were pulled back to let in lots of natural light, a large shuriken sat on the wall across from June's feet, June sits up folding her arms across her lap.

"What happened?"

All she could remember was the screaming of Reno...Rude's spill and...

"Cloud," she gasps bringing her hands to her mouth.

Cloud, she couldn't be sure he'd made it out but if she made it here then maybe he brought her.

June crawls to the edge of the bed before scooting off and onto the floor, she takes a deep breath stretching her arms above her head. She felt so well rested, she glances back at the bed, it was better than some metal disk in the middle of nowhere.

She looks around again and her eyes land on a floor length mirror at her back, she turns walking over to it, she smiles at her reflection. She liked her reflection, she could would almost go as far as to call herself pretty. She leans over pushing her hair out of her face, she frowns. She looked pale though, she pinches her cheeks raising a brow at the rush of color that appears there. June pulls back turning back to the door, she pulls up the sleeves of her cardigan walking into the hallway, she could hear the laughter of children and screeching noises. She places a hand on the wall as she moves down the hall, it felt almost like love oozed from the walls of the bar, June moves further down the hall peering shortly into the empty rooms. However, there was one room that pulled her in, its door was closed.

June peeks behind her before moving over to the door, she grabs the doorknob gently turning it but it clicks in protest, locked.

June drops her hand about to move down the hall again but the cry of child pulls her attention to her back.

"June, you're awake!"

June turns to see Marlene standing there smiling at her, Marlene rushes over grabbing her hand, "come on Tifa made breakfast!"

June quirks a brow when Marlene begins pulling her to the stairs, she glances back at the door saying "Marlene...wait."

Marlene pauses turning to her, June points down the hall saying "what...room is that?"

Marlene leans over to look at the door, she smiles saying "oh that's Cloud's room."

June folds her arms nodding, "is he in there?"

Marlene shakes her head grabbing June's hand again, "he's with Cid doing some errands."

June breathes a sigh of relief, she knew Cid and she knew what errands meant; Cloud was ok.

Marlene turns pulling June down the stairs, Tifa looks up with a smile.

"Ah, you're awake...you slept so long."

June nods watching as Marlene moves away from her and over to the bar where she picks up a fork and begins stuffing pancakes into her mouth, a boy and woman sat next to her.

The woman glances at June before burying her face into her food again, the boy smiles nodding in greeting to her. Tifa suddenly moves past June placing a plate of food on the bar, she turns to her saying "I'm sure you're hungry."

June nods walking over to the bar and sitting in a stool, she pulls the plate closer picking up the fork on the plate, it was a little awkward at first but she eventually gets used to it.

Tifa leans against the sink crossing her legs over one another, "so June right...how have you been?"

June looks at her nodding, "I've been...ok I guess."

Tifa cocks her head saying "what happened to you...Cloud...you know...well you wouldn't know...he wouldn't really tell me anything."

June places her fork down on the plate, she leans over putting her hand on her forehead.

"To be honest, I don't really remember...we were on a train and suddenly things just went...crazy."

June looks up saying "Cloud...when is he coming back?"

Tifa shrugs, "he has a way of disappearing for days on out...but he did say he wanted to help you and Cloud is a man of his word."

Marlene suddenly turns in her seat, "June...where are you from?"

June glances at Tifa who nods, she rubs her forehead saying "um...the Lifestream-"

Suddenly the woman next to her begins to choke on her pancakes, she turns to June with her eyes bulging out of her head.

"The Lifestream!"

June sighs, she was prepared to for another beating but it never comes, the woman looks at Tifay saying " I always knew it was possible!"

June gasps when the woman grabs her arm, "what's it like?"

June looks ahead, the Lifestream...

"The only way to describe it...peaceful, a learning experience as well. The souls that join the LIfestream become one and all of their experiences become one...their thoughts...their feelings...," June mutters closing her eyes.

June opens her eyes peering at the ceiling, "I only know the Lifestream and what I learned from the memories of the people there...I don't remember when I came to exist or even how...and so...I do not even know what I am...I have been one with the Lifestream for as long as I can remember."

Tifa walks over to her saying "so how do you know about Jenova or...who told you to find Cloud."

June shrugs, "there are some who choose to slough away their persona's to completely assimilate with the Lifestream...but this person...they gave me a mission and somehow I was sent here."

Tifa looks at the woman who gulps turning away from June, she looks down at her plate muttering to herself, Tifa raises a brow saying "what is it?"

The woman glares at Tifa saying "you and Cloud always keep all the interesting stuff to yourselves."

Tifa sighs and the woman turns to June again holding out her hand, "Yuffie Kirasagi greatest ninja in all the world."

June takes her hand saying "June."

"And I'm Denzel," the boy next to Yuffie says leaning over, June smiles nodding to him.

Tifa puts her hands on her hips saying "well...listen June...while Cloud is gone you're gonna be staying here...I don't want you to be hesitant about anything you want to say or do ok?"

June smiles and Tifa nods.

"But-"

Yuffie slaps her forehead saying "oh god here it comes!"

Tifa smiles saying "but here at the 7th Heaven Bar we all do our part to help out...so while you're here you'll have to earn your keep."

June cocks her head and Tifa leans toward her grinning.

"We're gonna teach you to work a bar!"

June's eyes light up in excitement, if she was going to learn about this world and the people here what better way than to work at the busy bar.

"Ok!"

Over the next few days June is taught how to stir up spirits for the masses, though it was not a job she had come to prefer, sometimes the customers could get ugly; Tifa made it easier though, she had no problem with showing someone the door.

"June look!"

June looks up to see Marlene holding bunch of flowers in her hands, she rushes over to her pushing them into June's hands, June smiles down at flowers saying "their so pretty."

By day she spent her time with the children, and by night with the saucy men at the bar, today Marlene brought June to the Church in the old part of Midgar. Since hearing of June's like for flowers Marlene decided that the Church would be a nice place to show her, upon arriving there she was surprised to find out that June had been to the Church before.

In fact, it was where she took her first breath, June shakes her head trying to push away the frightening memory.

She bends down placing the flowers onto the ground, "but I don't think that you should pick them Marlene...they'll die."

Marlene grimaces before nodding.

June smiles up at her saying "did you plant them?"

Marlene shakes her head, "a woman named Aerith did...she loved the flowers."

June nods looking down at the flowers again, "well she did a good job...there are so many."

Marlene nods bending down as well, she looks at June with a smile.

"I used to bring them to Cloud whenever he was sick...they always seemed to cheer him up."

June touches the petal of one of the flowers saying "that's sweet."

June reaches over picking up the flowers again, she wondered if she could replant them to lengthen their lifetime at least, she stands walking over to where Marlene had pulled them but the sound of a twinkling song brings her to a halt.

"Hello," Marlene says answering her cell phone.

June looks over at her as she drops to her knees gently pushing the flowers back into the earth.

"Oh...um yeah...we're...um...in Edge...we'll be there soon," Marlene mutters getting to her feet.

June raises a brow, they weren't in Edge...

Marlene rushes over to June saying "we have to get back...Cloud's at the bar!"

June stands saying "ok, but what's the rush."

Marlene grabs her face saying "I'm not allowed to come here for a month!"

June gasps and Marlene nods, she looks down kicking her feet.

"Ever since I showed Shoji and his goons the Materia Cloud said that I'm not allowed to come here for a long time," Marlene mutters shaking her head.

June folds her arms with a smile, "hey don't worry...if he does find out somehow...I'll take the blame."

Marlene shakes her head saying "but then he'll be angry with you."

June raises a brow, though she didn't want to know what Cloud's wrath felt like she was a grown up, he couldn't really do anything but...not help her.

June gasps saying "Marlene let's run!"

Marlene nods grabbing June's hand and they rush out of the Church.

Once they were a safe distance from the Church they slow their run to a brisk walk, June looks down at Marlene saying "why did you tell them we were in Edge?"

Marlene shrugs, "I didn't know what else to say."

Once they make it back to the bar their surprised to find Cloud in the front of the bar working on a large machine like thing, Marlene edges away from him toward the door of the bar but he looks up saying "hey Marlene."

She looks at June and they both breath a sigh of relief, Marlene runs over to Cloud saying "can I help fix Fenrir."

He nods handing her a small black box, 'go get the other one from my room...the key is in the box."

Marlene nods running into the bar, June rubs her arm looking down when he goes back to looking at Fenrir. He never paid her much mind and whenever she spoke to him it felt like she was bothering him. June looks up deciding to say something, anything.

"Um...what...what does it do?"

Cloud looks at her then back at Fenrir, "Fenrir?"

She nods and he stands turning to her, "you don't know much of anything do you?"

June sighs looking down again, maybe she should have just kept her mouth shut.

Cloud turns to Fenrir folding his arms, "it's a motorcycle...it's like a train but-"

"Oh, I know it in theory...but I've never seen one," June says walking over to him.

Cloud looks down at her when she walks over placing her hand on it, she looks up at him saying "what's wrong with it?"

Cloud shrugs, "it just broke down."

June bends down looking at Fenrir from all sides, she stands saying "well...why don't you take it to get fixed?"

"I can do it on my own," Cloud mutters shaking his head.

June looks away raising her brows, and there she thought she'd be surprising him with her knowledge of worldly things such as mechanics.

Marlene runs out of the house holding the box over her head, she holds it out to Cloud saying "sorry I took so long."

He shakes his head taking the box, June steps aside when Cloud moves past her bending down next to Fenrir. June clears her throat looking away, it was a strange feeling that June got from Cloud, he seemed so gentle but he intimidated her somehow.

"We'll talk about where we're going later," Cloud says almost dismissively.

Going?

June nods deciding not to push it, she turns walking into the bar and Marlene follows.

That night Marlene and Denzel sat behind June at the bar as she washed the dishes, the rest of the house was upstairs asleep except Cloud who still worked on Fenrir outside, it seemed that he was getting closer to fixing it because they heard it start multiple times.

"I can't wait to go back to school...I miss everybody," Denzel mutters taking a bite of a cookie he'd been nursing since Tifa had given it to him earlier in the night.

Marlene moans as if in pain, "I can wait...I'm scared to go to the Second Grade...I heard its tough."

June smiles to herself, she'd never been to school but she had memories of what it'd been like for some, and to her it seemed like it would be an interesting experience.

June dries the final plate as Cloud walks into the bar, he walks over to the refrigerator pulling it open, he reaches over taking a small container of vegetable soup.

"Again...," he mutters making June smile.

Tifa had told June that Cloud loved her vegetable soup, so she made it whenever he came home.

"There's leftover lasagna in there," June suggests.

Cloud glances at her as he pulls the soup out, "she made it for me so..."

He walks past her putting the soup into the microwave, awkward silence fills the room until Marlene gets to her knees in her stool saying "Cloud did you like Second Grade?"

Cloud quirks a brow, "it's been a long time."

Marlene and Denzel laugh, Cloud takes the soup out of the microwave taking a spoon and moving to sit at the bar.

"Second Grade...hm...it was...ok I guess," he mutters spooning soup into his mouth.

Marlene gasps and Denzel nods, "it was ok for me too."

"But what about bullies," Marlene says her face dropping.

Cloud shrugs a shoulder, "Denzel won't let anyone bully you...right Denzel?"

Denzel nods saying "yeah Marlene I got your back."

Marlene shakes her head, "but what about...what about...division...I'm not good at division."

"They teach you division in Second Grade these days...hm," Cloud mutters.

Marlene shrugs, "I just want to be ready you know?"

"Second Grade was easy Marlene trust me...I'm going to Fourth Grade I know this stuff," Denzel says patting her on the back.

June walks over to Marlene saying "and I can help you...I may not know much about the world but book smart I am...I've learned a little about every book ever written."

Both Marlene and Denzel gasp this time.

"Whoa," Denzel whispers.

June nods walking back over to the sink, it was true she had once been one with the greatest author's and mathematicians in all of the world, she didn't know them to the core but she could definitely do Second Grade math.

Cloud stands walking his bowl over to the sink, he turns on the water but June takes it saying "you've worked all day let me do it."

Truth was, she just wanted reason to stick around the group longer so that she could hear their conversation and perhaps join in though she didn't know much of the world.

Cloud hesitates but with a nod her head June pulls the bowl away, Cloud silently thanks her as he walks around the bar sitting next to Denzel again.

"So Cloud...where'd ya go this time," Marlene asks turning to him.

"Costa Del Sol...and then to Junon...we were transporting ship materials across the continent," Cloud says looking at the children.

"Did you fight anybody!"

Cloud shakes his head saying "a couple of monsters here and there."

June sniggers when the children gasp, she dries the bowl setting it aside before turning to them again.

"Did you learn anymore cool moves," Denzel breathes.

Cloud lowers his head making June frown, he looks at Denzel from the corner of his eye saying "...maybe..."

The children gasp again, June covers her mouth with her hand to hide her smile, Cloud knew what he was doing with the children, even the most mundane story he knew how to sensationalize and add mystery to just to keep them interested.

"Could you show us!?"

Cloud nods standing, Marlene and Denzel hop out of their seats getting ready to follow Cloud outside, June walks around the bar slowly at first; she felt almost like an intruder.

"Kids...it's 11:34...time for bed."

Everyone turns to see Tifa standing at the bottom of the stairs with her arms folded, she shakes her head at them.

"Well you heard Tifa...bedtime," Cloud mutters.

"Aww...but I really wanted to see...," Marlene moans sulking toward the stairs with Denzel behind her.

June sighs looking down when Cloud walks past her toward the stairs, Tifa watches them walk upstairs before turning to June.

"Thank you for washing the dishes for me, you going to bed now?"

June shakes her head, "in a little while..."

Tifa nods walking upstairs, June sighs again walking over to the bar and dropping into a seat.

"I wanted to see too..."

**Next: A Life Full of Strife**


	4. Chapter 4

-A Life Full of Strife-

The next morning June is awakened by Yuffie and Denzel, Yuffie walks around the bed squatting down next to June's head.

"Hey girl, time to get up!"

June moans turning away from her, she'd went to bed only five hours before and she had no plans on getting up any time soon.

Yuffie raises a brow turning to look at Denzel, she turns poking June in the side; June squeals trying to move away from her hand but Yuffie comes back doing it again.

"Ok...I'm up!"

June sits up pulling her legs to her chest, Yuffie smiles saying "there is no ignoring Yuffie Kirasagi!"

June nods looking aside, that was something she had learned since she and Yuffie had begun their stay at the bar, when Yuffie wanted something she got it; or at least from June she did.

"Cloud wants you up, he said something about wanting to discuss your plans," Yuffie mutters standing up.

June turns throwing her feet off the side of the bed, "Ok...I'll be down in a few."

Yuffie nods saying "come on Denzel let's go finish our match."

Denzel gasps while Yuffie bends down in front of him wearing a maniacal grin, "remember if I win...I get all your little rods."

"Match...a match at what," June asks standing up and moving over to the dresser.

Yuffie grins turning to June, "a tic-tac-toe match to the death!"

June glances back at them again, Denzel didn't seem to want to be apart of this match any longer if he ever did.

"I already won 50 times and she promised me ice cream, it's not fair that she can win once and get all of my things," Denzel says folding his arms.

June raises a brow pulling a white button up shirt from the dresser followed by a black skirt and leggings, "doesn't sound very fair to me..."

Yuffie scoffs, "well it's not about being fair it's about who wins."

When Denzel goes to speak again Yuffie holds up her hand saying "you know what...I don't want to play with you anymore anyways...you're a sore loser and a cheat and its not fair."

Yuffie rushes past him out of the room and from the sound of the pounding on the stairs to the bar.

June turns to Denzel with a smile, "well at least you're free right?"

Denzel nods before turning and leaving the room, June bumps the dresser with her hip and it closes as she makes her way to the bathroom.

Tifa leans over the bar grabbing Cloud's glass from his side and refilling it, she always made sure to take special care of him whenever he returned home, maybe to keep him coming back.

"Slept well," she mutters pushing the glass at him.

Cloud nods stopping the glass with his hand, Tifa smiles saying "you know Cloud...I think you may have done us a favor having June around has been great...I finally have time to get other things done around the bar with her helping out."

Cloud looks at the stairs, speaking of June what was taking her so long.

"So I know that you said that you want to take her somewhere...but when are you leaving," Tifa mutters her smile falling slightly.

Cloud shrugs saying "Fenrir is fixed so...as soon as possible."

Tifa folds her arms shaking her head, she turns away from him leaning against the bar.

"I honestly don't think you should go so soon, you just got back."

Yuffie sat at the end of the bar watching them, she pouts shaking her head. It always seemed Tifa half begged to keep Cloud around but he never did, it was almost sad to watch him be so oblivious to what was so obvious.

Yuffie shakes her head looking down, she didn't exactly know why Cloud was so intent on helping June but she hoped he wasn't using her as another reason to avoid the inevitable, did he not like Tifa, was he not attracted to her?

Was he scared?

Yuffie looks up hearing footsteps on the stairs, June comes down saying "good morning everyone."

"Good morning," Tifa and Yuffie say Cloud simply nods.

June looks around the room, empty as usual in the mornings, but by about 4PM the customers would come pouring in.

She looks at the group again, for some reason they looked detached from one another, she scratches her cheek.

Was it something she did?

"Um so Cloud, you wanted me," June asks folding her arms across her stomach.

Cloud nods, "come with me."

He stands walking past her over to the stairs but he pauses looking Tifa from the corner of his eye, "Tifa if you need extra help...I'll be able to tonight."

Tifa rolls her eyes looking down, he just didn't understand.

"Ok, great," she says turning to him with a smile.

Cloud nods walking up the stairs with June trailing behind.

He leads her down the hall and to his now open bedroom, June raises a brow walking in behind him.

Spare parts for Fenrir hung on the walls and parts of swords, nothing June really cared for but then she notices pictures and newspaper clippings.

She walks over to the wall reading one, "7th Heaven Grand Reopening: The heart of Midgar restored."

Cloud watches her as she moves along the wall reading, she pauses on a picture of Cloud standing next to a large yellow bird, he held a gold trophy in his hands that read 1st place.

"How cute," she says looking at him then the bird, "twins."

Cloud raises a brow when she turns to him smiling, "tell me again what you want to do?"

June nods saying "get rid of Jenova."

Cloud sits on his bed looking up at her.

"So you're saying Jenova is still around...still alive?"

June nods, "has to be...or I wouldn't be here...Cloud...what do _you_ know about Jenova?"

Cloud leans over on his knees looking at the floor, he shakes his head almost shamefully, June looks down as well; maybe she shouldn't have asked.

"Jenova has caused almost all of the bad things that has happened to us over the years, she-"

"She," June mutters cocking her head.

Cloud nods saying "Jenova."

June folds an arm across her stomach as she brings the other up to tap on her cheek, "most in the Lifestream recognize Jenova as a male is all."

Cloud shrugs, "well...to us its always been female...Sephiroth called it mother...so."

June grimaces, Sephiroth that name reverberated everywhere in the Lifestream, she could remember the peace of the earlier years and then the stir that came with the newer influx of souls, their memories...

June shudders.

"But anyway, there's a lot that Jenova has done along with Sephiroth, we even had to fight them...twice."

June raises a brow sitting at the desk that sat at the side of the room, she turns the seat to face Cloud, they'd fought Jenova and won.

"So...why...why am I here," June whispers grabbing her head.

She leans over when the room begins to spin, this news wasn't exactly bad but it still put her in a confusing place.

She peeks up at Cloud saying "so...what happened...where did he go?"

Cloud sighs leaning back slightly, "last I heard Rufus Shinra had her remains."

June sits up straight letting out a loud rush of air, Cloud raises a brow when she stands moving over to the window.

"Could we go and see him?"

"That's the plan actually," Cloud mutters standing up, "tomorrow."

June turns to him nodding, "ok."

Cloud turns to leave but not before looking back at June silently letting her know that it was time for her to go as well.

June smiles following him back downstairs to the bar once there Tifa pushes breakfast into their hands saying "eat up busy day ahead."

June and Cloud glance at one another before nodding their heads.

`That Night`

"Hey-hey-hey cutie bring another over here!"

June raises a brow at Cid who steadily pounded beers and shots, she glances at Tifa who folds her arms sighing.

"Just one more," she whispers to June grabbing a silver tray covered in filled shot glasses and snacks, she carries them away glaring at Cid all the way.

"What-wha-, what the hell are you lookin at," he shouts glowering at her."

June brings him his beer and he snatches it away without any further word, June glances at the stairs and then Tifa before scurrying over to the refrigerator, she digs toward the back reaching for a small plastic container. Once she reaches it she pulls it out running it to the top of the stairs where Denzel, Yuffie and Marlene sat. Yuffie snatches the container away digging into snacks within it.

"Took you long enough," she grumbles through a mouthful of food.

June sighs, "Tifa's like a hawk...if fact I should be getting back."

Yuffie groans saying "no fair...why do I have to sit up here like some sort of...child!"

June shrugs, according to Tifa Yuffie wasn't of age to drink and she wouldn't be responsible for influencing her into doing such a thing."

As June goes to walk back downstairs Yuffie calls to her, June turns to her and Yuffie grins saying "a couple of soda's yeah...thanks!"

June nods walking downstairs, when she makes it down she observes the room, Tifa was still busy busing drinks, she sighs.

Tifa could be downright scary when angry, just as June goes to stand behind the bar again she notices a large brown box coming toward her, she backs away saying "what?"

Suddenly the box falls to show Cloud standing behind it, June sighs leaning over, Cloud raises a brow saying "what's wrong?"

"Nothing...I'm just-"

"Bar lady...I'm waitin!"

Both June and Cloud turn to see a man at the bar waving his arms their way, just as June goes to help him she catches the eye of Tifa who glared holes into her, yes very scary.

"Coming," June calls running over to the bar again.

"Hello sir welcome to the 7th Heaven bar...what can I get you today," she says waving her hand to show the many assortments of drinks on the wall behind her.

"Aww baby don't act like you don't remember me...it's me...Rudy Rygger," he says putting a hand to his chest.

June cocks her head, who?

She leans toward him to get a better look at him and he grins, well he'd clearly been to other bars because he reeked of alcohol.

"I'm sorry but...I don't remember you...," June mutters shaking her head.

Rudy's face falls and he begins to glare at her, "whatever just bring my drink!"

June glances up at Tifa who still looked very busy at the moment, she looks to the side to see Cid knocked out at the bar, she sighs saying "um what is it that you want sir."

"Gimme the Avalanche!"

June turns to the wall, the Avalanche oh how she hated the Avalanche, it was such a tough drink to perfect.

June grabs the base drink before moving over to the counter where she begins to fill the glass, she turns grabbing the chaser and pouring it in, and after in goes a bevy of ingredients.

June thinks back to when Tifa taught her how to make the popular drink, "_each of us added something to the drink...Yuffie wanted cookie crumbs but that was quickly put to rest..."_

June mixes the drink before bringing it to him, Rudy smirks saying "I like my drinks shaken not stirred."

June turns back getting ready to grab the shaker but he grabs the glass anyway tossing it back, as June turns back to him with the silver bar tool a glass comes flying past her hitting the back wall of the counter and splashing June with alcohol.

"Too damn fruity!"

June brings her hands to her mouth muttering "I'm sorry!"

Rudy stands and she back away but suddenly Cid and Cloud move over blocking the man, Cid grabs Rudy by the back of the neck saying "have you lost your damned mind!?"

"Tell her to make it again," Rude exclaims pulling away, Cloud jerks his head toward the door saying "leave."

Cid snorts saying "not before apologizing!"

Rudy guffaws making Cloud wince at the sharp output of noise, he glances at Cid who nods grabbing Rudy by the neck again pushing him toward the door, Rudy glares at them saying "I'm a payin customer I deserve my order done right!"

Cloud looks back at June who looked down at the floor her eyes glazed over, he walks over to Rudy grabbing him by the hand and putting his knee into his back, he pulls back making Rudy cry out in pain.

"Say you're sorry," he mutters narrowing his eyes at the man.

Rudy shakes his head but Cloud pulls back further making him scream even louder.

"Ok...I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"

Cloud pulls away saying " now leave."

Rudy gets to his feet running out of the bar, Cid pumps his fist saying "serves that punk right...you ok cutie!"

Now everyone turns to June, she nods feeling her face begin to burn with embarrassment, she turns muttering something about changing her clothes as she rushes upstairs.

"Hey June where's the drinks," Yuffie calls as June moves past her and into her room, Marlene sits up saying "what's wrong?"

Yuffie frowns looking at the stairs, there had been a big commotion but Yuffie was too busy arguing with the kids to pay it any mind.

June reaches into the dresser pulling out a new outfit similar to the she already wore, she sniffles wiping away tears, it was humiliating. What he did and how she reacted, powerless and weak.

June tosses the outfit onto the bed before going over to the door and closing it, as she walks back over to her bed she can't help but wonder what would Tifa have done.

Tifa handled the bar with grace but with a firm hand, unlike June who jumped at the slightest thing, Tifa would have fought back at least.

June looks down, even Yuffie would have fought back.

June shudders when fresh tears rush down her face, she grabs the clothes moving toward the shower but suddenly there's a knock at her door.

June hesitates at first but she walks over to the door pulling it open, Cloud stands there with Marlene and Yuffie.

"Can we talk," Cloud mutters folding his arms.

June nods holding the door open, Cloud walks in followed by Marlene but he closes it when Yuffie tries to come in.

"Hey- you let me in you...you...you big meanie!

June raises a brow when he locks the door, he turns to her saying "she's annoying."

Marlene suddenly rushes over to June her eyes wide with worry, "are you ok June?"

June looks away nodding, she sits on the bed saying "I'm ok."

She looks at Cloud trying to look at convincing as possible but he shakes his head saying "you've been crying."

June looks down as the familiar feeling of embarrassment washes through her, he walks over bending down before her.

"Do you know how to fight," he asks trying to catch her eye.

"Fight...," June mutters trying to buy herself time to come up with a good enough answer but that was answer enough for Cloud.

"Magic," he asks shaking his head.

June shakes her head closing her eyes, Cloud narrows his eyes at her.

"I don't believe you."

June gasps opening her eyes, he stands saying "how do you think we got off the train unharmed...you made some sort of...magic wall...it kept us from being pulled out."

June looks down shaking her head, she'd never done magic...at least she didn't think so.

"And you did it without Materia..." Cloud mutters looking aside.

Marlene plops onto the bed next to June saying "wow...that's cool!"

June sighs looking down at her hands, even if she could use magic she'd have trouble actually using it on someone.

"Look."

June looks up to see a swirling blue orb in Cloud's hand, it convulses before turning solid, June looks at Cloud; his eyes glowed strangely as the ice suddenly evaporates into his hand.

"H-how," June whispers sliding off the bed before him to sit in front of him.

He reaches into his pocket removing a glowing green orb, "magic Materia."

He places it in her hands saying "next time someone does something like that...use this."

June nods pulling it close to her body, Cloud stands suddenly making her gasp, he walks over to the door but June stands rushing over to him and grabbing him by the wrist.

"Thank you...Cloud."

He looks at her hands before gently pulling away, "mm-hm."

He looks back at Marlene saying "come on."

Marlene scurries over to him saying "good night June."

June nods waving to her, she turns back to the bed when they leave out closing the door behind them.

She could feel the Materia turning cold in her hands, she places it on the bed staring down at it, it had such a familiar aura. She picks up her hand turning it toward the ceiling, "Ice," she whispers closing her eyes.

Waiting...waiting...waiting...

"Nothing," she whispers pulling her fist into her chest.

She sighs grabbing the clothes and walking into the bathroom.

The next morning Cloud wakes her up bright and early, or at least he sent Marlene to do it, June yawns when Tifa hands her a large green duffle bag filled with supplies.

Cloud sighs saying "we're only going to the Healen Lodge."

Tifa folds her arms looking at the bag as June hoists it onto the back of Fenrir, she shakes her head, "you know how I worry...especially since you rarely come back when you say you are."

Cloud looks away saying "but I'm always around when I'm needed."

Tifa nods saying "true."

June sits against the back of Fenrir gazing at the sky, she could feel the familiar damp feeling of impending rain, she glances back at Cloud who turns away from Tifa reaching under Fenrir to retrieve a helmet. He holds it out to June but she shakes her head, "no it's ok."

Marlene comes outside just in time to pepper June with something she'd heard 1000 times over, "if you're going to ride on the back of Fenrir with Cloud...it is a rule that you wear the helmet for safety."

June sighs taking the helmet, it was black and bulky and...ugly.

Cloud gets on and June gets on behind him, Marlene goes to run over but Tifa pulls her back.

"You guys are coming back soon, right!?"

Cloud nods and June says "yes."

Marlene smiles grabbing Tifa's hand, Tifa smiles saying "be safe."

Cloud nods his head before starting up the motorcycle, June gasps feeling it rev up under her, Cloud glances back at her saying "hold on...and put the helmet on."

June grimaces plunking the heavy helmet on her head, Cloud turns back as she wraps her arms around him before pushing forward and propelling them ahead.

After a while of driving they make it to the outer reaches of Edge and onto the flat dry plains of Eastern Continent, June shakes her head trying to lift the glass eye protector so that she could get a better look but it just kept getting in her way. She pulls an arm away from Cloud grabbing at the helmet, she grunts lifting it away from her head.

"Wow," she whispers when the world comes into her view, large mountains surrounded them that reached higher into the sky than any building she'd ever seen in Edge.

Water lay at the edges of the Continent, lapping at the thirsty land that surrounded them, June closes her eyes taking a deep breath even the air was different, not so stiff.

June opens her eyes stretching her arm but as she extends it she loses her grip on the helmet and it tumbles backward into the wind, June grimaces ducking her head.

However, her mistake is short lived as she loses herself in the scenery again, she reaches up pushing her hair behind her ear because now it had become the deterrence. She squints into the distance at the sight of a large metal structure that protruded from the ground.

"Cloud!"

He glances back at her saying "what is it...hold on."

June sighs wrapping both of her arms around him again, he hadn't noticed the missing helmet.

"What...what's that?"

He looks over at the grounded piece of metal, he shakes his head, he'd noticed it as well but he didn't know what it was.

"I don't know..."

But he planned to find out, the only people capable of constructing such a thing were the Shinra.

June nods turning back to the front, she gasps when she sees a large see of gold and feathers, "ooh Cloud what are those!?"

He glances over saying "Chocobo's."

June clasps her hands together only to nearly be dragged backward so she grabs hold of Cloud again, "their so cute!"

She looks at the back of Cloud's head saying "what are they all doing out here?"

"Chocobo's usually live in the wilderness but those are tagged Chocobo's they must come from the Chocobo Farm..."

June nods looking at the again, "uh but Cloud...why are they out here then?"

Cloud sighs making June cringe, she didn't want to annoy him.

"I don't know."

June raises a brow looking ahead as the Chocobo's fade out of sight, soon they make it to a mountainous region with long rising slopes, as they move up the slopes June looks up to see a sign that read :The Healen Lodge.

Cloud pulls off to the side of a large upward bridge, June hops off teetering to keep her balance, Cloud grabs her by the wrist pulling her behind him, June nods in thanks to him, he pulls her up the ramps toward a large beige cabin.

As they make it to the top two figures come into view, a woman and a man stood at the door.

"Cloud my man where ya been," Reno calls waving to him, "didn't know you were coming...did ya make an appointment?"

"Don't need one," Cloud says shortly dropping June's arm.

Reno leans over smiling at June who peered down at the waterfalls that surrounded them with wide shining eyes.

"Hey it's the cute one!"

June turns to him saying "hi Reno."

"Aw you remembered my name-"

"Reno cut it with the BS, now Cloud...you do know that we don't take walk-in's you must have an appointment with Rufus if you wish to talk with him, he's a very busy man," the woman says pushing her blonde hair back.

"Elena...you always ruin the fun...," Reno mutters slumping over. "bu-t she's right...you have to have an appointment."

Cloud glances between them before pushing through them and into the cabin, Elena gasps rushing into behind him, "Reno grab the girl!"

Reno wraps his arms around June saying "gladly."

June pulls away saying "I have to get in with Cloud," but Reno shakes his head.

"No-no...it'll be alright...come on why don't we go talk," Reno says smiling.

June grimaces when he begins pulling her down the ramps...

"Cloud Strife you stop right there," Elena roars when they make it to Shinra's room.

Rufus sat at a desk pouring over large stacks of paper, in the corner of the room was a clay model of Gaia with small red and blue flags covering the surface.

Elena skids to a halt when Rufus looks up at her with a frown, "I-I'm sorry sir but...he just rushed in I'll remove him right away, she grabs Cloud's arm but Rufus shakes his head.

"No-no let him stay...he must have something very important to say to me if he's coming here...Cloud never comes to visit."

Elena begrudgingly drops Cloud's arm before leaving the room, Rufus looks at Cloud saying "what brings you here today Cloud?"

Cloud looks over the room once more, "I've come to ask you about Jenova."

Rufus raises a brow, "what about Jenova."

Cloud folds his arms saying "what did you do with the remaining pieces of her."

Rufus sits back in his seat eyeing Cloud with a bit of suspicion, "Jenova is no longer a threat Cloud...we're taking care of it."

"But how," Cloud asks dropping his arms.

Rufus pushes back into his desk looking over his work again, " now that's government business."

Cloud glares at him now...

June peers over the edge of the ramp she stood on watching with mild interest the water below, Reno steps next to her saying "so uh tell me...what brings you and Cloud here?"

June looks at him saying "we're looking for Jenova."

Reno suddenly looks taken aback, he turns to the ramps railing nodding his head, "so uh...did you guys hear anything at all...ya'know about Jenova."

June quirks a brow, all of a sudden Reno looked nervous but very inquisitive.

June shrugs, "um...I can't really say Cloud wouldn't like it."

Reno's eyes widen, he grabs June by the arms saying "don't tell me you know...damn Cloud always pokes his nose into everything...he always has to be the hero!"

June shrugs her shoulder similar to the way Cloud always did and this seems to bother Reno to no end, "the Underwater Facility don't play dumb now!"

"Oh yeah...that Underwater Facility...the one near-"

"Near Mt. Corel, yeah that one," Reno shouts shaking her now.

June gasps, "oh-oh-oh...I thought you meant...the..."

She pauses now thinking back to the things she'd heard in her short time with the group, she gasps holding up a finger.

"I thought you meant the new attraction at the Golden Saucer!"

"Huh," Reno says slouching over.

June clasps her hands together, now that she had some sort of lead it was time to reel Reno back in.

"Yeah I heard it's pretty fun I really want to go," she says turning back to the waterfalls.

Reno slaps his forehead muttering "dammit...got all worked up and spilled the beans."

June quirks a brow watching him from the corner of her eye, she grabs his arm saying "oh cheer up...maybe you can take me one day hm-"

Reno smirks looking up at her, she smiles brightly back at him and abruptly he stands straight.

"Yeah, I could," he says as coolly as possible.

"Hey-hey-hey, what's goin on here," they hear someone ask from their side, June leans over to see Rude standing there supported by crutches, she pulls away from Reno saying "hey you lived."

He smirks nodding his head...

"It's just not important for you to know right now Cloud," Rufus says shaking his head, "but what I will tell you is we've managed to contain all of her pieces and even found items and pieces of land that had been contaminated by her cells...all is well for now."

Cloud grunts looking aside, he wasn't going to get anything out of the Shinra now but he had other questions.

"What's that metal construct next to Midgar," he asks narrowing his eyes.

Rufus grins now, "oh the first steps to our new space program...it's coming along quite nicely."

Cloud raises a brow, "why a new space program."

Rufus sighs saying "why do you insist on asking questions I can't answer at the moment?"

Cloud glares at him as he turns leaving the room, he didn't have time to play childish games with the Shinra.

As he makes his way down the ramps the sound of June's laughter floats up to him, Elena stood at the second level watching Cloud with sharp eyes.

"Next time...," she whispers when he moves past.

When Cloud makes it to the last ramp he finds June surrounded by Reno and Rude, they seemed to be having a very amusing conversation.

"Come on you have to choose one of us...which one is better looking," Reno says leaning toward her.

June smiles lightly but she notices Cloud standing there, she grimaces at the expression on his face, not happy.

"Cloud is," she sings rushing over to Cloud and touching is arm.

Reno and Rude look at one another before Reno bursts out in laughter.

"Oh come on June...his whole cockatoo thing is so- outta style...it died in like...0008!"

Cloud grabs June's wrist pulling her past them and down the remaining ramps, "bye Reno...bye Rude hope you get better," June calls as they go.

Once they make it to the bottom June pulls away putting her hands on her hips, "so did you speak with the guy?"

Cloud nods moving toward Fenrir, June cocks her head saying "well...".

"He didn't tell me anything," Cloud mutters looking over Fenrir, June grins now rubbing her hands together.

She had something that he didn't, information.

"We-ll I learned something from Reno," she says turning away and folding her arms, "wanna know what it is?"

Cloud shakes his head making her gasp, "nothing Reno says has any credibility."

B-But...uh-huhh...he told me about an Underwater Facility near when I mentioned Jenova," June stutters moving over to him.

Cloud gets on Fenrir, saying "not worth checking out...he just willingly told you that...he could be trying to steer us in the wrong direction."

June takes a deep breath putting her hands on the top of Fenrir, she leans close to him saying "not true...I tricked him into telling me!"

Cloud cocks his head when June begins nodding her head furiously, she presses closer saying "we don't have any other leads...we have to follow this one."

Cloud leans over shaking his head, "you're not going to let this go...are you?"

June shakes her head saying "it's the only thing we have!"

"Ok, we'll go check it out but you have to promise me some things," Cloud mutters looking at her again.

June nods saying "ok."

Cloud stands saying "I know that you don't have much experience with this world so you're prone to careless mistakes...like what you just did...Reno didn't have to know anything about what we're doing."

June 's smile falls, "but-"

"Rule no.1: No talking to Turks their trouble for the most part...only rarely are they any help," Cloud says cutting her off.

June nods ducking her head.

"Rule no.2: No running off where I can't find you...if you get lost and run into something I won't be able to save you, and trust me a single Ice Materia won't get you far."

June sinks even further down.

"Rule no 3: Listen, I know you have thoughts and feelings about things but I've dealt with this longer than you have. If I tell you to run and hide you do that, if I tell you to take my sword and fight you do it."

June gasps but the stern look on his face keeps her from saying anything.

"We're going to have to get you a weapon before we go," he mutters turning back to Fenrir, "come on."

June rubs her arm getting behind him on Fenrir, Cloud glances back at her frowning when he notices how glassy her eyes looked.

"It may have sounded harsh but that's how it has to be...I've...lost...I've lost someone on my watch before...and...I'm not going to let that happen again," Cloud says looking ahead.

June looks at him, he'd lost someone already..., she looks down.

Why did it feel that she already knew that, June looks at him again, maybe that's why his eyes were always so sad even when he laughed with the kids.

She wraps her arms around him burying her face in his shirt, if he needed these things from her she'd have no choice but to oblige and besides his rules showed that maybe he cared, the first person ever to truly care about her.

This makes her hold on tighter, even if she failed her mission and could never go home, maybe when all was said and done, she'd have someone; she wouldn't have to be alone.

Cloud revs the Fenrir to go but before he pulls away he looks back at her, "where's the helmet."

June smiles into his back, and maybe silence would be the best answer for his question.

**Next: The Underground Facility**


	5. Chapter 5

**-The Underground Facility-**

The drive to Junon was a silent one, partially because June had fallen asleep and Cloud was too busy getting lost in his thoughts.

_"You're always going Cloud...never staying too long. I feel like...I feel like I'm losing you...I thought that when everything got better you'd...you'd be yourself again..._

Cloud lowers his head, Tifa always begged for him to stick around but she could never understand. He knew that once she found out where he was headed and what he was going to do she'd be pretty angry with him.

Cloud sighs looking a the sky.

He had his own reasons for helping June, he wasn't even sure that everything June said was true but just like he did years ago, he walked steadily into an unpaved future, hoping that the reward outweighed the risk.

He glances back at June who still lay against him silently, he turns back to the road ahead accelerating; he could see Junon coming into view.

Though her story seemed far fetched, he couldn't believe that someone would feign ignorance for so long without reason, or without slipping up.

Cloud glances her way again, he had a lot of questions for her about the Lifestream...

He brings his hand back gently shaking her as they enter Junon, June moans picking up at her head.

Junon hadn't changed much over the years, it was still a military town but it held more of a relaxed energy.

"Hey- this is pretty!"

Cloud looks back at June who stares up at the tall buildings in wonder, she glances at Cloud saying "Cloud...is this Junon?"

"It is."

June squeezes him saying "how exciting!"

Cloud raises a brow looking at the city, not so much for him but maybe because this was something he was used to seeing.

"Can we get off and look around," June whispers leaning over a bit to look at the side of his face.

Cloud shakes his head sending her back into her seat with a frown, "we have too much to do to waste time here."

June nods looking at the buildings again, she didn't understand why she'd never saw this, she thought she'd seen everything in the Lifestream but beautiful things like this weren't shared with her. It made her want to see the world and all that it had to offer.

Cloud leans forward pushing Fenrir toward the end of the town, the plan was to catch the boat from Junon to Costa Del Sol and from there Mt. Corel. Once there they'd try to find clues to the whereabouts of the Underwater Facility. He frowns when men wearing military uniform come from the sidewalks to hinder his ascent, he slows Fenrir to a stop when a guard moves directly in front of them holding out his hand.

"Halt, where do you think you're going?"

Cloud frowns, "we're trying to catch the boat to Costa Del Sol."

The guard glances backwards saying "well...in that case move along."

Cloud cocks his head eyeing the guard apprehensively, the man nods to the both of them before waving the other guards back over to the side walk.

"Maybe their on to us...," June whispers leaning over.

"Hm," Cloud starts up Fenrir again, pushing them ahead.

June looks at the guard as they pass, he smiles nodding his head to her, she looks ahead again pursing her lips; she didn't know why Cloud held so much disdain for the officials of the world but if he didn't like them she'd try not to.

As they pass through the rest of the city a large metal construct comes into view in the distance, this one was bigger and more grand than the one they'd seen outside of Midgar, it was shaping to be a tall building and a large pad lay next to it built into the earth.

"Maybe that's what their guarding."

June looks at Cloud saying "but why from us?"

"I have a reputation," Cloud mutters turning back to the road ahead, June quirks a brow looking ahead again as the building leaves their view.

Once at the docks Cloud decelerates and comes to a halt, June hops off almost immediately to run over to the docks but a firm "hey," from Cloud brings her running back.

"Sorry," she whispers as he moves past her over to a sailor standing at the ramp of a large boat.

"You guys leaving now," Cloud asks folding his arms.

The sailor nods saying "yeah but why are you worried about that...when you haven't paid up?"

Cloud scoffs going into his pocket giving the man 300 Gil, the man sifts through the coins nodding.

"Ok come on up," the sailor says tilting his hat toward Cloud.

Cloud walks back over to June, he gets on Fenrir saying "just follow."

She folds her arms walking slowly behind him as he drives Fenrir up the ramp and onto the boat, he drives it to a small metal platform where it attaches itself to the floor, he gets off walking away from her and over to the edge of the boat.

"It's getting dark," he mutters when June makes her way over to him, "we'll be there by morning."

June pulls herself up and onto a box that sat against the edge of the boat as it pulls away from the dock, she sighs leaning against the edge, good thing they had time to move around, sitting on Fenrir all day had gotten a bit dry.

"June..."

She looks at Cloud and he turns to her, "tell me more about the Lifestream you know."

June tilts her head turning back to the front, "the Lifestream...for me...I was just barely something."

Cloud frowns and she smiles at him, "meaning on the edge of existence."

She rubs her arm looking down, "I...I was just there for no other reason than to... to watch, she clasps her hands together closing her eyes.

"I watched as people came in and became one with the Lifestream and one with myself...yet not me. That doesn't make any sense I know because I don't understand it myself, but that's how it was. I was shown memories and glimpses of the world that I could never be a part of."

Cloud folds his arms leaning against the side of the boat, he cocks his head as he tries to mull over her words.

Junon

"But how did you get here...and who sent you here?"

She shrugs, "I dunno one day...and I only say one day because I've gotten so used to the term, there...there are no days, time passes freely.

"But one day, I just knew that I'd be leaving...that it'd finally be _my _turn...but it was different...I was sent here by a voice-"

Cloud turns to her now his eyes flashing, "a voice...what kind of voice?"

She shrugs again saying "just a voice...I remember thinking it was strange because when most come to the Lifestream they immediately slough off their old persona's to become one...usually the voices came from the dreams of the dead...and their memories but this voice spoke to me."

"Get rid of Jenova and all of his spawn...and find Cloud...it sounds so vague...it _is_ vague but I had no choice. It sent me through the void and I woke up in that church.

"Could you tell if it was male or female," Cloud asks grabbing her arm.

June shakes her head saying "no..."

Cloud folds his arms again shaking his head, June turns to him with a smile.

"Cloud..."

He nods and she leans toward him, "I'm happy to have found you though, the voice didn't lead me wrong."

She hops off the box to stand next to him, "I-I feel better here like this than when anywhere else so far...like I'm where I'm supposed to be."

It was hard to explain her interest in Cloud and everything he did, he was like the greatest mystery to her and she so wished to figure him out.

"Y'know Cloud...you're like a very smelly onion ha...," she drifts off when Cloud glares at her.

She holds up her hands shaking her head, "no-no not like that...you have so many layers and every time I try to peel one back you squirt eye-burning juice at me."

She giggles when his eyes widen, "yeah...Yuffie is rubbing off on me I think."

Slowly she sobers as she gazes up at the dark sky with bright eyes, "the stars out here...their not as bright as the ones in Edge...Cloud...why is that?"

He folds his arms saying "there's more life out here...more lights...so it becomes a bit harder to see the stars out here compared to the darkness of Edge."

"Oh."

She leans over yawning into her hands, Cloud jerks his head toward the interior of the ship saying "you can sleep in the cabins."

June glances back at the cabins before turning to him again, "aren't you sleepy?"

Cloud shakes his head turning away, June sighs walking over to him and plopping onto a lower box this time, Cloud looks down at her and she yawns again.

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

"N-No...(yawn)...I'm fine," she whispers smiling.

Cloud turns to the water saying "if you're sleepy you'd better sleep now, who knows what will happen when and if we find the Underwater Facility."

"I-I k-(yawn)now."

Cloud looks at her again, she watched the water as well but she just couldn't stop yawning, June looks up at him when he flinches slightly, he shakes his head looking away.

"You sure you're not tired...(yawn)."

He shakes his head and as he goes to answer her he let's out a long yawn, June sniggers shaking her head as well.

"Not tired huh," she asks teasingly.

She stands saying "if I'm going to sleep now you...you should as well...who knows might happen when we get there...we...I need you to be in tip-top shape...you're pretty much my bodyguard."

Cloud turns sharply on her his eyes flashing again, "what?"

June gasps covering her mouth, "did I say something wrong," she whispers through her fingers.

"You...called me your bodyguard," Cloud mutters walking toward her.

She crosses her arms over her stomach, she did but didn't understand why Cloud took it so seriously.

"Yeah, so?"

He catches himself mid-step, he pulls back turning a little ways away from her, he rubs the back of his head while clearing his throat.

"I uh...I'm just a little surprised that you knew what that was," he says looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"Hey-," she says grabbing his arm and shaking him, Cloud turns away more so that she could see less of his face but she comes around looking at him. The corners of his lips twitched upward but his eyes remained serious.

"You're so- funny," June says walking back over to the cabin.

She let's out a loud breath putting her hands on her hips, "goodnight Cloud."

He nods grabbing the railing on the edge of the boat, "night."

She turns on her heel walking away from him as if angry but as soon as she out of view she smiles.

Cloud sighs leaning against the railing, sometimes the things June said got to him maybe because of what she said the Lifestream truly was, and this voice she'd spoken of.

"I hope I'm doing the right thing...," he whispers looking at the ribbon on his arm.

The next morning, June awakens to Cloud calling her from her room's door, she turns onto her side muttering "yeah...Cloud what is it?"

He jerks his head to the side saying "time to go."

June sighs when he walks away saying "I'll be waiting on the deck

Once she's ready she rushes onto the deck but the smoldering air around her brings her to an abrupt halt, she brings her hands to her forehead saying "what the-."

The sky was brighter and bluer than she'd ever seen and the sun stretched across it sending down blaring amounts of light and heat.

"Um...Cloud...," June mutters looking around, she frowns when she doesn't find him.

She sighs walking toward the front of ramp of the boat and there she finds Cloud, he was below getting Fenrir ready to go.

"Hey- babe don't ya think you're a little over dressed!"

June turns to the source of the voice. he grins as she looks him over, his skin was the color of wood and his teeth unusually white, he wore a yellow Speedo and held a surfboard under his arm.

As June goes to tell him how under-dressed he was to her she catches a glimpse of a woman in a red bikini jumping into the water next to the boat, she cocks her head, did everyone dress "down" here.

She sighs wiping sweat from her brow, because of the heat perhaps.

The man laughs saying "oh yeah," he grunts as he begins striking a bunch of extreme poses, "pretty built huh?"

June simply shrugs turning back to Cloud who sat against Fenrir looking as something in his hand, she quirks a brow moving down the ramp and leaving the man to his modeling.

June comes around Fenrir leaning over to look at what Cloud held in his hand, she nods turning back around, his cell phone.

Cloud glances back at her when she leans against Fenrir as well, "you're nosy," he mutters sitting up.

June shrugs, "kind of have to be in my position, don't you think?"

She turns to him smiling but he gets on Fenrir without another word, June plops on behind him wrapping her arms around his torso, she sighs; if the rest of the continent was going to be this hot this was going to one miserable ride.

"Cloud, is it always so hot here"

He nods.

"How do they do it," June mutters when Cloud takes off toward the exit/entrance of the town.

Once they make it to the outside of Costa Del Sol the extreme heat slowly melts away and the air around them turns brisk, June sighs; couldn't the weather just make up its mind?

"We're going have to look around I guess..."

"Or ask around at the nearest town," June suggests and Cloud shrugs.

June leans over to look ahead as well but a sharp look from Cloud sends her back, "when you do that you make Fenrir lag."

June ducks her head saying "oh...sorry."

She looks over at the passing mountains and water, it did seem a little tedious now looking for some Underwater Facility with no sort of clue as to it where it may be, and even if they found it how would they get in.

"Dammit...I forgot to get you a weapon," Cloud mutters to himself.

He stops Fenrir looking back at her, "are you sure you want to do this?"

June sighs, just an hour ago she was sure but now the irksome fear had begun to set in, what would be waiting for them down there...if they found it.

Cloud nods turning ahead again, "I'll call Cid."

All at once a sinking feeling fills the pit of her stomach, was he calling to Cid to come and get them? Would they go back to bar like nothing ever happened?

June pushes herself off Fenrir making her way closer to the mountains, Cloud glances up at her as she goes.

"Don't go too far," he calls as she moves further and further away from him.

"I don't want to go back right now...I want to see more," she whispers to herself rubbing her arm, to go back to the bar meant going back to the knowledge that was she doing nothing to get home, doing nothing to rid herself of that nagging voice in her head.

Going back meant feeling out of place, an outsider again to the group that was Avalanche.

She wipes a tear away, she wanted to find the Underwater Facility even if it meant freezing out here all night.

As June turns to tell Cloud this a cold hard something rubs against her cheek, she turns screeching when she sees a large golden bird standing next to her, she rubs her cheek trying to calm herself.

"Y-You scared me you big...big...aw you're so cute," she squeals wrapping her arms around the Chocobo's neck.

She loved the look of Chocobo's always, the feel now but not so much the smell, nevertheless she holds tight.

"You're so soft," she whispers.

Cloud looks over to see June practically hanging from a Chocobo's neck, he lowers the phone as the busy tone rises from the ear piece, the Chocobo didn't seem to be bothered too much but all the same this was a wild Chocobo just allowing June to hang from it as if it were some sort of jungle gym.

"June...that's a wild Chocobo," Cloud warns sitting up to save her if necessary.

"Wild...please he's a sweetheart," June calls kicking her legs.

Cloud cocks his head, maybe June didn't need a weapon, the way she held onto the Chocobo showed some major upper body strength on her part, he'd ask Tifa about showing her some things when they got home.

June giggles scurrying now making Cloud sit up some more, some how she manages to pull herself onto the back of the Chocobo.

She claps her hands saying "I did it!"

She leans over placing her hands at the Chocobo's scruff but her fingers meet a hard metal collar of some sort, she leans over moving the Chocobo's feathers around so that she could get a better look. Her eyes widen when she sees a large logo and words on the back of the collar.

"Shinra Industries...," she mutters looking ahead, "why would this Chocobo have a Shinra collar on?"

At this word the Chocobo hops into the air nearly sending June off it's back, she screams wrapping her arms around it again, the Chocobo suddenly takes off into the distance.

"Cloud...help!"

Cloud grunts starting Fenrir to follow after them, June held onto the mad Chocobo but who knew how and when she would fall.

"Stop...please...don't...I don't wanna ride anymore," June screeches squeezing her eyes close.

Suddenly the Chocobo rushes up a hill jumping, June screams when it begins to flutter it's wings gliding through the air.

Cloud curses to himself as he follows up the hill launching himself into the air behind the Chocobo.

June grunts when they hit the ground, "oh I think I'm going to be sick..."

Just as she goes to fall away from the Chocobo, the Chocobo comes to a halt and begins doing a weird dance of some sort, June hears a loud beep come from the Chocobo's neck, she looks up to see the sea parting before them.

A large metal ramp appears out of the water and it extends onto the land in front of them, June looks at the Chocobo and then the ramp again.

"You found it-you found it!"

She hugs the Chocobo again forgetting all of its past transgressions.

Cloud however moves toward them with a frown on his face, June looks over at him frowning when she sees the seriousness in his eyes, he grabs her hand pulling her off the Chocobo.

"You could have hurt yourself," he shouts at her.

June glances back at the Chocobo saying " b-but...I-I...h-he..."

Cloud raises a brow when she brings her fists to her mouth and tears fill her eyes, he looks away, he didn't care to watch her cry.

She suddenly hugs him, "I'm sorry Cloud."

Cloud sighs gently pushing her away, "just don't do that anymore," June sighs when he walks toward the ramp.

"So we go in," he mutters glancing back at her, she shrugs walking over to him.

Cloud reaches into his pocket handing her a bright green Materia, "it's a Restore Materia...should you get hurt, use it."

June bites her lip nodding as she puts it into her pocket.

He turns back to the long tunnel like ramp before walking into it, June looks back at Chocobo saying "thanks for everything," she turns following Cloud into the Facility.

The Underground Facility was just as one would expect it to be, dark and metallic, the only light came from small bulbs placed at the corners of the halls and from the blue of the water that they could see from the windows.

The Facility was a lonely place to be, it almost seemed abandoned.

"Cloud-," June goes to ask him something but a door opening at the of the hall silences her, or Cloud does when he yanks her behind the wall they stood next to. He leans over to watch two Shinra operatives turning down the opposite hall, they wore the same blue uniform.

Cloud turns to June saying "if we're going to make it through here undetected you're going to need to be on point...pay attention."

June nods and he turns back to the hall saying "come on," he mutters leading her straight down the hall and through the doors the men had come through.

"Another long dark hallway," June mutters looking about.

She jumps when she hears loud laughter behind her, Cloud grabs her hand pulling her with him further down the hall and through another door.

This time they end up at the end of four connecting corridors, just as they go to walk they hear talking come from at least two of the hallways, June looks around in a panicky manner but she smiles when she finds an out.

"Cloud...lift me up," she whispers pointing up at an air vent.

He bends down so the she could climb on his back, she wraps her legs around his neck as she begins to fiddle with the opening of the vent.

"Come...on...got it," she whispers pushing the vent aside, she grabs the edges of the vent pulling herself up and into it, she turns holding her hands out for Cloud but he shakes his head jumping and grabbing the vents edges.

She scoots away as he pulls himself up, he turns pushing the vent cover into the place, June folds her arms saying "show off."

She turns crawling ahead, Cloud does the same but he keeps his head down.

"Hey...what are they doing in there," June whispers peering through to another room in the facility, a bunch of men sat around a table looking at a small model of some sort of tower, she turns to Cloud who still watched the vents bottom.

"Doesn't that look a lot like the towers their building around Edge?"

Cloud looks aside into the room, he nods saying "it does."

June turns to the front again crawling further, Cloud re-assumes position but June stops suddenly making his head bump into her, he moves backward but she doesn't seem to notice.

He grunts gluing his eyes to the bottom of the vent, he didn't want to be _that _guy but June didn't even seem to worry about that sort of thing.

"Look Cloud...doesn't that look...suspicious," she whispers glancing back at him, he looks.

It was a large room with its perimeter covered in computers, she smiles saying " I bet if we get there we can figure this whole thing out."

She crawls on leaving Cloud behind this time, he starts up slower but she stops nearly sending him into her again, "Cloud...it's some sort of...locker room."

He nods saying "let's go down."

She removes the vent covering dropping onto the floor, Cloud does the same once she moves away studying the room, she moves over to a large bin in the corner filled with Shinra uniforms.

"Should we," she asks turning to him holding a uniform and helmet, Cloud moves over taking the helmet and uniform, he nods turning and walking away from her. June turns back to the bin shuffling through it to find uniform of her own, when she turns Cloud already wore his.

"That was fast," she says tucking her helmet under her arm.

He readjusts the silver armor on his shoulder saying "I've worn it before."

June raises a brow, so Cloud had at once worked for the Shinra, she turns away shaking her head, "you think you know someone and then BOOM."

Cloud folds his arms saying "change before someone comes."

June nods dropping the uniform and helmet on the bench next to her, she grabs the front of her shirt about to unbutton it but she could feel the eyes of a peeper watching her.

She turns to Cloud spinning her pointer finger, "turn around."

Cloud turns away shaking his head, "just hurry up."

June re-assumes position pulling away her shirt and dropping her skirt, she peeks over her shoulder to see Cloud eyeing a clipboard at the far corner of the room, she grabs the navy blue uniform pulling it on but she pauses at the extra attachments.

"Cloud...," she mutters glancing at him.

He turns to her and she holds up the brown holsters saying " what the-."

He walks over to her telling her to sit down, June sits on the bench as he begins strapping her in, "thanks Cloud," she says as he finishes.

Cloud nods to her standing and moving away, June walks over to a mirror in the corner of the room, on the mirror were a bunch of expletives and rude phrases, June frowns at them as she fixes her hair.

"And done," she calls turning to him.

She goes into the pocket of the uniform taking out a pair of brown leather gloves, she pulls them on saying "no...now I'm done."

"Took you long enough," Cloud mutters turning away from her, June sighs sitting on the bench again.

"This takes time," she sighs looking him over, Cloud's uniform fit him perfectly in every way and it was nice seeing him in something other than black. She smiles looking down, to her Cloud was almost as adorable as a Chocobo but she'd never tell him that.

"Well what are we waiting for," she breathes getting to her feet, "let's get a move on!"

Cloud nods placing his helmet on his head, as they move toward the door it slides open before them, a tall sturdy looking man with black long hair steps into the room. He raises a brow at them saying "what the hell are you two still doing in here?"

June gasps looking down at the helmet in her hands, the man jerks his head at June saying "you're ID patch ends with an even number, you should be in the weapon testing room."

He turns to Cloud saying "and you the lab, damn kids...I wish Shinra would start hiring some of the old guys back pfft!"

He shakes his head walking past them and toward one of the lockers, June and Cloud give each other side-long glances, for the first time they both were at a loss for words.

The man turns to them saying "well...ugh don't tell you me you don't know where they are?"

June shrugs and the man walks over to them saying "Lab is in the East Wing, Room E-2. The Weapon Testing Room is in the West Wing, Room W-1...which is right down the hall."

"Oh...how could I have forgotten," June mutters slapping her forehead, she winks at Cloud as she rushes out of the room.

As Cloud goes to follow the man calls to him, Cloud turns to him nodding.

"Well...I can't say I'm too mad at Shinra...some of his hires...whew did you see that one BWAH-HA-HA-HA!"

Cloud turns without a word leaving the man to laugh alone, as soon as he steps into the hallway a rather short Shinra Operative grabs a hold of him.

"So what's the plan," June asks him folding her arms.

Cloud looks her over, even with the helmet on she looked out of place.

"You check of the weapon room...see if there's anything you can use...I'll go to the lab and try to get as much information as I can," Cloud mutters folding his arm.

June salutes him before turning and making her way toward W-1, Cloud shakes his head looking down, even the way she walked screamed...well it didn't scream big bad Shinra woman.

He had too much to worry about when it came to sending her off alone, hopefully if she asked silly questions they'd count her off as stupid and not suspicious. He glances backward as he makes his way down the hall, he'd try to remember the path so that when she messed up he'd be able to come to her aid.

When June enters W-1 she's shocked by the amount of people that surrounded her, all trying out different weapons on monster simulations, once done they documented how they felt about the weapon and tried the next.

"Kairi, hey what're ya doing here I thought it was your day off!"

June grimaces when a man comes toward her holding his helmet under his arm, June shrugs trying to move past him but he grabs her arm saying "I'm getting ready to go now...no kiss?"

June stiffens when he pulls her backward, why would he figure that she was this 'Kairi' girl, she glances down the ID patch on the uniform, no name but maybe he knew...or he thought he knew.

June shakes her head trying to pull away, he frowns letting her go, "what's the problem Kai...you mad at me for some reason?"

She shakes her head again turning away, he sighs rubbing the back of his, "well then...ok...but I don't see why you're not speaking to me...you're always so wishy-washy."

She folds her arms walking away from the confused man, he sighs walking out of the room.

June sighs, good thing he hadn't decided to make a big spectacle, June looks around trying to find herself a good corner to plant herself in but someone grabbing her arm shocks her into upright position.

"You...you're perfect to try out the new and improved Materia Oscillus," says a man wearing a long white trench coat.

June shrinks away from the crazed look in his eyes, "m-me?"

He nods pulling her over to the next room, the room was completely empty except for a small platform in the middle, on the platform sat two black and beige combat gloves, the man walks over to the gloves. He grins picking them up, he turns to June sending her backing away from him.

"Do you want to know that they are for," he whispers ominously.

June shakes her head saying "no thanks, really...I just-agh," he grabs her wrists removing the uniform gloves, he tosses them aside as if disgusted by them.

June winces when he begins pushing the Materia Oscillus' onto her hands, he grins backing away from her to marvel at the sight.

"They are special gloves made right here on The Nautilus," the scientist whispers as June turns her hands back and forth looking at the gloves.

"Nautilus," June asks looking up at him.

He frowns, "the ship we're standing on...you must be new...most buffoons call it by The Underwater Facility...pfft, I built this ship I decide what the name shall be!"

June puts her hands on her hips, this man fit to the T the phrase Mad Scientist, he grabs her wrist shaking them, "these beautiful gloves will put me on the map!"

June tries to pull away but he shook her wrist as if he forgot a person was attached to them, "they take in Mako Energy and convert it into magic!"

June quirks a brow, "isn't that what Materia does?"

He gasps, "no you stupid girl...this is different this is...evolution...it intakes the Mako energy permanently...the user will be able to cast magic from their hand with just a thought...go on try it out."

June gasps when he pushes her away and into the wall, she groans rubbing the back of her head, this man was beginning to annoy her.

"Currently, I have only uploaded Water and Fire spells."

June nods turning away from him, he glares at her saying "what are you doing!?"

June smiles to herself...

"Finally you're here...what took you so long," a female scientist growls at Cloud when he enters E-2.

"I'm sorry," Cloud mutters shrugging a shoulder, she sighs waving him over to the computer that she sat at.

"Did Shinra send you to Mideel," she asks beginning to type away.

He frowns, he wasn't sure what to say but the woman sighs taking his silence as an answer, she turns in her seat saying "if he's expecting us to get done with the relocation program he has to begin to listen to us...the scientist...well everyone except Eji...I wonder where he is now..."

Cloud nods looking away, he hadn't truly heard anything of what she said, she stands saying "did you at least take a look at the area around Icicle Inn?"

He shakes his head and she groans covering her face with her hands, she points at the computer screen saying "there are large pockets of strange energy appearing all over the place...my good sense tells me that it's corrupted portions of the Lifestream...by what, we don't know...but our world is in a strange period right now and we need to do all we can to understand it."

Cloud looks at the computer screen, on it was a large map of Gaia, covering Mideel and Icicle Inn were large black smog like shapes.

"Corrupted Lifestream," Cloud asks moving closer to the computer.

She nods, "it has a similar makeup to Mako, and if it's not human made it comes straight from the planet...Lifestream. But some how it's composition has been changed, it's darkened and look at this. The drone we sent in caught images and sounds coming from the pockets."

She walks back over to the computer clicking on a file at the bottom left corner of the screen, a window raises and a video appears on screen.

Cloud moves closer, in a deep purple smoke, figures could be seen moving through the smog, there were sounds of shrieks and cries coming from them, as Cloud moves closer again the video turns off.

"Weird," Cloud says folding his arms.

She nods saying "very weird."

Cloud turns away looking at the door, for a moment he'd thought coming here was going to be a waste but now he had a plan, he wanted to see these corrupted pockets of Lifestream himself.

"Sorry I'm late Rima, but someone stole my uniform out of the locker room," a man comes running into the room.

Rima turns to the man at the door saying "wha-..."

The man moves over looking at Cloud's chest, Cloud looks down at the ID patch on his uniform, he looks up at the man preparing to be figured out...

"Stop it-stop it now-!"

Eji ran about the room trying to dodge the large jets of water June shot from her hands, she sniggers pushing out a block of ice, he screams ducking under it.

"You stop it now...now-!"

"No, you stop," June teases continuing her attack.

Eji screams when one of the jets finally hit him, he scurries across the floor toward the exit.

"I will tell Shinra of this," he sputters back at her, June quirks a brow lowering her arms.

She didn't really care what he did at this point, he could tell everyone on The Nautilus for all she cared, just as long as he didn't try to take the gloves away from her.

**Alert...Alert...Intruder on Board...Intruder on Board...All Security Personnel Report to Room E-2.**

"E-2...that's the lab...Cloud," June gasps, she rushes past Eji and out of the room, he reaches for her crying out for the Materia Oscillus.

"Move men, this is not a drill!"

June comes to a screeching halt in the hallway, dozens of guards made their way to the Eastern wing, she takes a deep breath rushing into the crowd but she's only thrown aside by the blood hungry men.

"Ugh, what am I supposed to do," June groans bringing a hand to her forehead.

For all she knew Cloud could have already been apprehended, "leaving me alone...again," she mutters getting to her feet. She couldn't let that happen, she takes a deep breath punching her fist into the palm of her hand, "time to take a page out of Tifa's book."

"Get out of my way," she screams rushing into the crowd again, this time sending blows of Ice and Water at the men, they fall away one by one but her show of power brings their attention immediately to her.

"Turn-coat...get her!"

June screams when everyone turns their guns on her, she covers her head dropping to her knees.

"Fire!"

She screams again, she knew that screaming would do nothing to help her now but what else could she do, she squeezes her eyes shut waiting for the bullets but nothing happens.

"Wha-," she peeks an eye open, "oh god!"

The men lay around her felled by their own bullets, she looks up to see a pale blue light covering her body, it slowly melts away sinking into the floor.

She brings her hands up whispering "I..I did that?"

"There she is," she turns to see more guards running down the hall, "shoot to kill!"

June groans getting to her feet, pressure rushes down her body from the top of her head to her feet, she felt like giving up but she had to help Cloud.

She bends over grabbing the gun from one of the dead men, she turns it on the oncoming guards letting loose the entire clip, they fall back slightly but more replaced the injured ones.

"Darn...gotta keep moving," she whispers tossing the gun aside, she turns on her heel running toward the Eastern Wing.

June makes it to the Eastern Wing only to find a bunch of guards knocked out there as well, she steps over them going to move further through the ship but a guard comes from down the hall, he walked toward her slowly but he had two swords held at the ready.

June grimaces, she didn't have it in her to keep fighting, whatever she'd done in the hallway sapped her of all of her energy.

"Get out of my way," he shouts at her.

June lowers her head, the man sounded very familiar, she raises her helmet saying "Cloud it's me."

He sighs lowering his swords, "oh...sorry," she nods walking over to him.

"What happened," she mutters folding her arms, he lowers his gaze; he didn't want to talk about it, he'd been so sure she'd be the one to mess up.

Though it was easy to explain really, once the man and Rima found out that Cloud wasn't who he said he was, they demanded to know who he truly was, unable to answer that question he drew his sword.

"Put your helmet back on, we don't want anyone remembering your face," he sighs walking past her.

June grabs his arm saying " you don't want to do that...there's a lot of guards back there."

He turns to her, "so how did you get here?"

June frowns, what did he think, that she couldn't care for herself at all?

"Well Cloud, I'm longer the damsel in distress," she mutters picking up two guns from the floor, she puts on her helmet cocking her head.

"I never said that you were," he says when she turns away, she nods her head looking down.

Maybe she was just sensitive to what he had said because she had been growing weary of her helpless position, she smiles to herself before turning to him.

"I know...I'm just-."

"I understand," he says walking past her deeper into the Eastern Wing, he pauses when she doesn't move, "what's wrong?"

June slouches over saying "I don't know," she still felt the after effects of the magic she had used, her legs buckle under her but she manages to stay on her feet.

"Are you-"

She stands saying "I'll be fine, let's go!"

She walks past him twirling one of the guns on her finger, Cloud follows closely behind her prepared to catch her if she fell.

"There has to be an exit around here somewhere," June whispers looking about, she walks further down the hall until she reaches a dead end, "well it's not this way."

She turns to see Cloud standing in front of a large board on the wall next to her, she walks over, it was a map of the facility.

"This place is shaped like a cross...the only way out is the way we came, the Southern Wing," he says pointing to it on the map."

"Ok, but how do we get there?"

He draws his sword again but June shakes her head, "honestly Cloud I think we've done enough...to the vents we go."

June moves away from him searching the ceiling for an opening, Cloud sighs putting his sword back in it's holster, "you know...your sensitivity isn't going to help us get out of here...these people don't care about you."

June pauses under a vent, "I know Cloud but their only doing their jobs, it's not like they have a personal vendetta against me, they don't even know who we are."

She turns to him saying "now, help me up."

He moves in front of her bending down when she pats him on the shoulder, she climbs onto his back grabbing the edge of the vent.

"They went this way!"

Cloud grunts saying "hurry up," June groans trying to pull herself into the vent but she felt so weak.

She drops down saying " you go first and pull me up," Cloud quirks a brow but does what she asks, once in the vent Cloud notices the gloves on her hands.

"What are those," he asks crawling ahead.

"Magic gloves," she whispers following him, she smiles down at her hands, she liked the gloves so she'd be taking them.

"Where'd they go...spread out, search everywhere!"

June looks down saying "their mighty angry..."

"Or afraid."

Once they make to the end of the Southern Wing, Cloud opens the vent beneath him and they drop onto the floor.

**Attention All Personnel...We Have Received Orders From Shinra To Evacuate The Facility...All Get To Your Emergency Pods...CONFIDENTIALITY COMPROMISED. **

June rubs her arm saying "what does that mean Cloud...what are they doing?"

"Nothing good for us," he mutters folding his arms.

**Nautilus Set To Self Destruct In Five Minutes.**

June falters backward bringing her hands to her mouth, "Cloud," he looks at her when the lights in the hall turn red.

"Come on," he grabs her hand pulling her toward the Southernmost part of the ship, once there their met with a navy blue hatch in the wall, Cloud presses the button next to it expecting the ramp to extend onto the earth but a loud alarm noise sounds instead.

**Three Minutes.**

June moans grabbing her head, she didn't want to die now that she'd experienced some of what life had to offer, at first she was afraid and discouraged by the people that she'd met her first day on the planet. However, meeting Avalanche and even getting caught at the bottom of the sea made her almost smile, she'd seen so much of other people's memories but now she could make her own. Yes, the world was a scary place and it held some scary people but she'd learned, in the world there were Rudy Rygger's and then there were Cloud's, Cloud's were the people she wanted to meet.

"The Cloud's...the Tifa's...and even the Yuffie's," she pauses to laugh, "I'm not ready to die yet...I don't wanna go back yet."

**Two minutes.**

"June," Cloud calls, he didn't know what he wanted to say to her but he felt responsible for what was happening, he walks over to her but a pale blue wall appears between them.

June drops to her knees shaking her head, "I'm not ready...no...I'm not ready," she groans as the sound of the ship creaking around them fills the room, "I'm not going."

Suddenly a ladder drops in the back of Cloud, he looks at it and on one of its steps it read: Emergency Exit.

"June...look," Cloud mutters trying to get her to come out of her self-induced isolation, she squeezes her eyes shut, "June please."

She peeks an eye open and he points at the ladder, she gasps crawling toward it as her magic wall falls, "where'd it come from."

He shrugs, it had probably been there all along but its sudden appearance was strange, "no time for that go, she nods climbing the ladder as fast as she could, she reaches a top hatch and she pushes it up.

"Oh no," she exclaims, the ship had risen to the surface but they were still surrounded by tons of ocean water, Cloud climbs up behind her.

**15 seconds.**

"Damn," Cloud grunts looking at the sky, she turns on him grabbing his arm.

"That's all you can say," she buries her face into the crook of her arm crying again but as she goes to get into fetal position again a long glittering blue path appears before them leading to land.

"What...the...what's going on here," Cloud mutters tapping June but she suddenly falls before him, she looked on the edge of consciousness but her eyes were still open, he frowns; they glowed with inhuman light. He gets to his knees grabbing her wrists and pulling her onto his back, "so it's been you...and you don't even realize it."

June moans when he jumps down from the top of the ship to the glittering path, he walks away from the facility as quickly as possible as he could still hear the voice counting down the seconds.

**3**

He picks up his pace a bit, this seems to stir June but she doesn't move.

**2**

"How did you get so heavy all of a sudden...what has Tifa been feeding you," Cloud grunts walking faster. This makes June laugh lightly, "the...same thing...she's been...feeding you...pork chop."

Cloud shakes his head about to speak but the sound of the facility exploding behind them brings him to a halt but June shakes her head, "don't stop...who knows how long this will last." He nods powering ahead.

"Cloud...we're alive right," June whispers closing her eyes.

He nods saying "yeah...but you should knew better than I do," June nods.

"True...but I had to make sure."

Cloud nods looking at the sky again, he hoped the path would stay up a while longer, there was still a distance to go and June's condition bothered him so he did his best to keep her talking.

"So, what's your favorite food so far?"

June shrugs a shoulder and he shakes his head, was it that galling when he did it?

"You have to have one," he says pressing on.

"Hmm...maybe...no...maybe...yea...I like fudge," she says gently sniggering in his ear.

"How...predictable," he mutters shaking his head, "you're so...you."

"Hey, what's wrong with...me?"

Cloud shrugs a shoulder and she laughs, "and _I'm_ predictable..."

He goes to shrug again but her laughing makes him stop and think about it, "what's predictable is your carrying me out of there like some sort of...hero...Cloud-Cloud-Cloud, always the hero."

He glances at her over his shoulder, she looked at him with teasing eyes but her eyes suddenly turn sad, "and June...always the damsel in distress...we're a pair...I get into trouble and you get me out...it's shameful."

"I wouldn't call you a damsel in distress...more like...a life-saver...whenever we've been in dangerous spots you somehow manage to make it right...and even in our most confusing times you somehow figure things out...damsels in distress don't do that."

June smiles and he turns away, "aw...Cloud...you really...believe in me?"

"I wouldn't be here right now if I didn't," he mutters trying to knock the sugar out of her tone of voice, "I believe in you because you believe in me...that's what...that's what friends do."

June squeals making Cloud wince in pain, she wraps her arms tighter around him saying "we're friends!"

Cloud sighs and she smiles feeling tears burn at her eyes, "I've...never had a friend...Cloud."

"What about Tifa...what about Yuffie and even Marlene. Cid considers you a friend, you see how he protected you, and Denzel...I think he may even...he sees you as a friend as well," Cloud mutters.

"I...I just always thought that...they were just being nice...because...well I don't know," June whispers.

"No...you've been added to this...unfortunate band of friends," he sighs, June gasps.

"Why unfortunate?"

He shrugs making her sigh, "well ok...I guess you'll tell me later," she yawns closing her eyes, Cloud glances back at her.

"It's unfortunate because of the way we met...not the way we ended up...we met under bad circumstances," he says shocking her back into consciousness.

"Tell me about it," she breathes, he wasn't sure if she meant how she met them or if she was asking to hear more about the group.

Pretty soon after he begins his story they make it to dry land, June looks around saying "where are we?"

Cloud narrows his eyes saying "I think...Wutai...we should stop there."

"Wutai isn't that where Yuffie's from," June wonders aloud.

Cloud nods and June smiles, "well then Cloud...good luck getting us there...I'm...I'm sleepy," she lays her head on his shoulder but he doesn't bother to wake her.

He walks onward, it irked him that they were in Wutai because he'd left Fenrir at Mt. Corel and his cell phone had been destroyed by one of the guards in the Underwater Facility so now he had to spend money to get a rental somewhere close. He wanted to go to Mideel and Icicle Inn, he'd check in with group in between trips but he wanted to do this alone, he looks back at June, of course she had to go along as well.

**Next: To Nibelheim**


	6. Chapter 6

_Eventually the toughies became easier to deal with, but then things started to go badly…and it was all my fault. Cloud..._

-To Nibelheim-

June moans turning onto her side, it seemed like ages that she'd been twisting and turning on her little mat. She knew that Cloud was somewhere near because she could hear him talking nearby, he'd said something about Yuffie and something called Nibelheim. She didn't get to hear too much because sleep kept taking her at the good parts but she didn't want to sleep anymore, she could hear that voice again.

Power...li...dest...

"Leave me alone," she whispers burying her face into the mat.

She pauses when she hears someone walk into the room, they walk over to her watching her for a while before going to the other side of the room. She flinches when she hears something fall over, "dammit," she hears Cloud curse.

June turns her head peeking at him, he lay on a mat across from her own staring at the ceiling, he glances at her causing June to close her eyes, he sighs turning back to the ceiling.

June opens her eyes again, it was strange watching Cloud this way, it felt almost as if she were intruding in on something private.

He sighs turning to the wall, June takes this chance to sit up and observe her surroundings.

The room was large and decorated in red and gold dragons, she gets to her knees uttering "nice...," she stands walking over to Cloud who does not budge, "sleep huh?"

"No."

June gasps when he turns to look at her, she crosses her arms over her stomach saying "well then why pretend?"

He turns onto his back again saying "I could ask you the same thing."

June leans over feeling her face burn, she didn't like this feeling usually; embarrassment, but with Cloud it just seemed kind of funny.

"W-well...two wrongs don't make a right Cloud," she says wagging her finger at him, he nods turning back to the wall.

"You should go back to sleep, we're leaving tomorrow so you should get all the rest you can."

She sighs, always being bossy Cloud was, she gets to her knees prepared to beg if necessary.

"But I wanted to go and take a look around," she says in the most saccharine voice she could muster, "I'll be back soon though...I promise."

"No."

She groans, why did things always have to be so difficult with him, "but Cloud...I need new clothes...and a bath...I...I don't think I smell too good."

"You don't."

June gasps and he raises an arm saying "go on...Yuffie's father might be able to help you with that."

"Yuffie's father..."

"Don't worry, he's nothing like her," Cloud says shaking his head.

June laughs as she gets to her feet, "that's not what I meant...where is he...what does he look like?"

"This is his place, he right outside."

June nods saying "OK, rest up Cloud," he grunts as she leaves the room.

The rest of the house was decorated in a similar manner to the bedroom except there were plants everywhere, June smiles, a beautiful place in her opinion .

"You are awake," June turns to the source of the voice to see a middle aged man with long black and silver hair sitting behind her, he holds a tea cup out to her saying "would you like some tea?"

She smiles taking the cup, "thank you," she brings it to her lips taking a small sip.

"Bleh," June sputters shaking her head furiously, it's taste was reminiscent of Tifa's vegetable soup.

He laughs saying "my daughter does not like it either," he sighs looking away.

June glances around before plopping onto the pillow across from his, "she's been gone awhile, huh?"

He nods, "longer than ever...," just as June goes to speak he shakes his head saying "but I will not worry about her...when she does not even care about my feelings," he snatches away June's tea cup setting it on the floor next to him.

"I'm am Godo Kirasagi, since you know my daughter you've probably heard all sorts of heinous things about me," he sighs.

June shakes her head, Yuffie did talk about her father but not too much, it seemed like they fought a lot but there was love there.

"Hmph, so she does not even mention her father," he barks making June flinch.

"W-wh-what I meant to say...w-was-"

"So ungrateful, so wasteful, so infuriating," he growls.

June cringes, now she was getting taste of what a Kirasagi argument could turn into, she could see why Yuffie would want away and with Yuffie's behavior she could see how most things could be turned into an argument by them.

June flinches when he begins to growl insults Yuffie's way, what did Godo expect, for June to spill everything she may or may not have heard Yuffie say?

June takes a deep breath nodding as he continues to bark on about Yuffie's insolence and laziness, she clasps her hands together saying "excuse me...excuse me...I have a question!"

She needed to get away from him.

"Yes, what is it!?"

She pushes herself to her feet saying "um do you know where I might find clothes around here?"

He points to the door saying " across the bridge...there are many things to choose from there...nothing that satisfies my lazy daughter, but much of it is of good quality."

June eyes the door nodding, "ok...well...see you later," she waves to him as she walks toward the door, he lets out a heavy breath as she walks out of the house.

"Whew, maybe I shouldn't have tried to strike up conversation," June whispers slouching over, she picks up her head to take in her surroundings, "tranquil," she whispers looking over the small town.

"Across the bridge," she mutters standing straight and making her way toward the inner part of the town, she walks across the bridge closest to her and she pauses at the building occupying the platform.

Yoshi's - General Store, she squints leaning toward the store, she could see that some words had been scratched out of the sign.

She places her hands on her hips, "would a general store hold clothes...hm...well it does say general and general means it covers various things so...into the general store I go," she walks into the store and over to the front counter.

Though she'd never been shopping before, she'd seen customers at the bar in action before they were given the goods.

She leans against the counter waiting for someone to appear but the store remains quiet, she leans over peering behind the counter but no one was there, as she waits for service she takes notice of the empty produce jars on the shelves that surrounded her, she quirks a brow when she catches sight of a mannequin at the back of the room.

"Looks like I've come to the right place...but...where are the goods," she whispers scratching her cheek.

It was beginning to get a little creepy, especially with the mannequin staring her down from its lonely corner, she grimaces rubbing her arm, "eh...is...anybody here?"

"Yoshi is!"

June screeches falling away from the counter, a small man peered down at her from the top of the counter, she scoots away saying " why did you do that?"

He falls from his place at the counter laughing, June grunts getting to her feet, "you know what...I don't even want to shop here anymore," she turns on her heel about to stomp away but the man jumps onto the counter again.

"Ew, you smelly little girl...and look at your clothes...so- 0008," he calls after her, June comes to a screeching halt.

She looks down at her body, she did look pretty bad, she turns back to him saying " well...it wouldn't be this way if I had other clothes," this makes him smile.

He hops off the counter rushing toward the back of the store, he comes back saying " this should cover up those thunder thighs, it was a long black dress, he holds it out saying "but it has a slit in it to show one of them...for the chubby chasers."

June gasps and he laughs saying " I'm playing with you...so...?"

June looks the dress over shaking her head, she wanted something that she could stick with, something that said 'I'm tough', like Cloud and Tifa.

"No...I'm looking for something more...battle ready," she says nodding.

He quirks a brow saying " battle...ready...pfft," he throws the dress aside rushing toward the back of the store again.

June cocks her head watching the little man, he jumps into a dresser pulling out multiple pieces, he rushes back over saying "this would fit you well."

June looks the outfit over, a white cropped shirt with thick chunky straps at the shoulder, a beige band-skirt that was separate but was meant to cover the part of her stomach the crop top didn't cover, it had black strings going across the back and they disappear as it goes further down into a multi-layered half skirt the would only cover her behind. Next to them, Yoshi sets down a pair of black shorts with lace sewn closely to the fabric.

"For the spirited young lady traveler, usually their prettier but you'll do," he says grinning at her.

"You know, your way of selling your products kind of...isn't nice," she mutters picking up the shirt, "I like it but it's so...naked looking."

Yoshi sighs rushing to the back again, when he returns he holds many black arm bands and a leather hip bag, it was meant to wrapped around the waist with it's three straps, it looked liked just an accessory but stitched into the side was a small pocket.

June smiles, "it's perfect...I'll take it," she picks up the items, she felt happy with her decision, maybe she could play the part if she looked it.

She just wanted to be stronger, not the one always crying and giving up but the one standing with Cloud staring adversity in the face.

"Ah-ah, hold up...where do you think you're going...that'll be 1000 Gil," he growls snatching the clothes away from her.

June grimaces, "1000 Gil..."

Where would she get that, June sighs looking down at her feet, "I guess it's the dumps for me...ugh I'm stuck like this," she groans stomping her foot.

Yoshi raises a brow walking around the counter, "pay up or leave."

June pauses looking at him from the corner of her eye, she really wanted the outfit, her body felt icky under the heavy uniform and she was beginning to itch, she looks at the floor again; time for drastic measures.

June sighs dropping onto the floor, "this really...really...sucks...here I was thinking that I could be more than just...that girl...ya'know that girl...the one nobody wants to be around unless she's doing something stupid for them to laugh at because they know that's the only thing she's good for...I'm a doormat!"

Yoshi sighs turning away, June looks up at him but when he looks at her again she quickly drops her head.

"You know...you're right...I am fat...and...and...and-"

Yoshi slams him hands on the counter saying "I told you I wasn't serious!"

"And...and...nobody will ever love a...a...a...a...a-"

"You seriously cannot take a joke," he growls at her.

"A...little pork chop," she squeals.

"Fine...500 Gil, I'm not dropping the price anymore," he shouts, June raises a brow, maybe she could work that sort of thing out with Cloud. She stands smiling, "OK, I'll be right back!":

She rushes out of the store and across the bridge, she takes a deep breath before pushing into Godo's, he looks up just in time to see her running into the bedroom, she did not want a repeat of their earlier 'conversation'.

When she walks in she's delighted to find Cloud sleeping, she creeps over to him muttering "I'm sure he won't mind...but I don't want to have a tug-o-war about it," she drops down next to him searching his body for Gil.

"Where do you keep the coins Cloud," she whispers feeling gently along his side, she grabs his pants gently shaking at them, she grins when she hears the tinkling sound of Gil in his pocket, she pushes her hand into his pocket trying to grab a handful.

"Come on," she whispers pulling more toward her, she gives an inward cheer when she manages to pull it out, she slides it into her pocket getting to her feet, "now let me go-," she runs out of the room and out of the house.

"Here you go, 500 Gil," she says as she slides it across the counter, Yoshi counts through the coins slowly and then counts over them again, June cocks her head when he smiles.

"Good," he pushes the clothing into her arms and she nods.

"Nice doing business with you," she says turning to leave, she was sure that Godo would point her in the right direction for a bath, the prospect of being clean again sends her floating out of running out of the store and back to Godo's home.

He looks up at her saying "ah, I was just about to ask you about your Shinra Uniform...it is best you change...some people still hold grudges, June nods.

"Yeah, well I'm not one of them. It was just for show...um...do you know where I can bathe, I'm filthy."

Godo nods pointing to a door towards the back of the house, "there is a natural spring back there...I have not opened it for the day so you should be able to bathe in peace," June nods walking past him and through the door.

"Wowie...look at this," June mutters looking at the large spring before her, steam rose from the water and into the sky, "my first spring bath," she turns away giggling to herself.

Springs, that was something she remembered being shown, usually when she connected with the people of the Lifestream she could feel some of what they felt in that memory and from what she could remember, it was heavenly.

"Well time to strip down," she whispers dropping her new outfit and grabbing the uniforms front.

Once done undressing, she steps gingerly into the spring, "ah...it's pretty hot," but once she's fully submerged her body adjusts. She sighs, she could feel her muscles relaxing and the aches that the journey created being gently worked away.

"Ah," she sighs sinking deeper into the water, "Cloud has to try this...might help him relax a little."

In fact, she would force him to try it, he needed to wind down especially after what they'd just gone through and though she didn't say anything, he wasn't smelling like rainbows either.

June takes a deep breath as she submerges herself into the water, she would enjoy her moment for now but Cloud had his coming….

"Hey...hey...Cloud-...Cloud-, get up."

Cloud grunts turning away from June who leaned over above him, she sighs crossing her arms over her stomach, she crawls onto the edge of his mat gently shaking him.

"What," Cloud grunts peeking an eye open, June smiles and he sighs, over their little trip he'd learned a few things about her, behind her shy sweet exterior lay someone with a bit of edge to her, not like Tifa's punch your lights out edge or Yuffie's annoying one, June tried to kill with kindness and when that didn't work she could turn on eyes that would bring even the strongest man to his feet.

"You'd better get up, Godo's going to open the springs soon...this is the last chance you get to bathe in private."

Cloud sighs turning away from her but a glimmer of beige catches his eye, he turns to look her over, "where'd you get that?"

June looks down at her clothes, she stands saying "oh this old thing...um...the General Store," Cloud sits up as she spins, "do you like it?"

He cocks his head when she puts her hands on her knees leaning toward him, it did fit her well but Cloud in his usual Cloud way could not say that without making himself look..., he sighs he couldn't understand it himself so he shrugs.

June frowns standing straight, she puts her hands on her hips saying "you don't know?"

Cloud shrugs again, "how did you pay for it?"

June let's out a heavy sigh, "with Gil Cloud..."

He nods saying " yes but what Gil...did Tifa give you something," she shrugs and he frowns.

"See, you don't like it either but let's not talk about that...you need a bath," she grabs his hands trying to pull him to his feet but he fights against her.

"June..."

"Cloud..."

Cloud suddenly let's go of her hands and she goes flying back onto the floor, June groans sitting up. She blows her long bangs out of her face standing up again, she walks around Cloud pushing him from behind.

"Cloud, as a friend I am telling you that you need a bath!"

Cloud frowns saying " what are you trying to say," June sighs.

"Cloud I only say this out of care, you need a bath...you now have more in common with a chocobo than ever before," she sighs shaking her head.

Cloud stands abruptly making June fall forward, he turns to her saying "June...," she shakes her head.

"And that onion...you now remind me of two smelly onions," she teases waving her hands.

Cloud glares at her, so much for killing with kindness.

"Gaia to Cloud-!"

He grunts leaving the room, he needed a bath he knew but it was a little embarrassing to have her saying it to him, he pauses. However, he had done it to her earlier, he glances back at the room door. Was he somehow helping to shape her?

If so, he needed to do a better job at keeping her away from Yuffie and anything Yuffie related.

Cloud walks into the main hall where Godo still sat sipping on his tea, Cloud glances at the back door saying "can I...use the spring?"

Godo nods extended his arm toward the door, Cloud nods his head in thanks as he makes his way toward the spring.

June sighs sitting up, now that Cloud had gone she was bored all over again, if she told him that he'd tell her one of two things.

1) "Go to sleep."

2) New rule...when Cloud says sleep...sleep.

She pushes herself to her feet walking over to the window, one day she'd be independent enough to make her own rules.

1) "Live.

2) "Eat"

3) "Be happy."

She smiles, such a simple way of living, once this Jenova business was over she looked forward to a life of simplicity.

"Yup, just me and...I...," she mutters rubbing her arm, she hadn't thought about just how simple her life would be.

Simple home, simple chores, simple job, and all done simply alone, "I don't want that again."

June bites her lip leaning against the windowsill, she couldn't be completely alone not after what Cloud had said to her, she had friends now and people cared for her but she had to wonder, just how much would they care when everything was said and done. When she no longer needed their help, would they just pack up and say "well it was nice meetin ya...," she shakes her head, no she was being way too nice to herself. One day Tifa would walk into her room at the bar, with a duffle bag over her shoulder and a smile.

"Time to pack up girl!"

"No-," June whispers closing her eyes, it got worse.

What if after they found and destroyed Jenova, she just ceased to exist, in the beginning she wanted that but now she had tasted the sweet nectar that was life and she wanted more.

"I don't wanna die...I don't wanna die," she moans falling to her knees.

However, she knew that if that's where things were going she'd have to accept it the same way she had to accept being thrown onto Gaia in the first place, June brings her hands to the windowsill pulling herself up again, her knees were beginning to hurt.

"I've got to stop tossing myself around so much," she mutters rubbing her knees.

Just as she goes to pull away Cloud enters the room, he raises a brow when she turns to him with a smile.

"What were you doing," he asks folding his arms.

She frowns as well, where did he get his original outfit?

"Hey, where'd you find that," she folds her arms as well but Cloud glares at her.

"I've stayed here before when having troubles with Fenrir...wh-."

"Really," June asks folding her hands behind her back, "why don't you take it to a mechanic...there is no reason for th-."

"June, what were you doing," Cloud sighs lowering his arms.

She sighs leaning against the wall next to her, what was with the interrogation, "I was just thinking...why?"

Cloud raises a brow saying "thinking."

June shrugs saying "what's wrong with that?"

"There's nothing wrong with thinking but it's where you were thinking that's the problem, you can see the springs directly from here," Cloud says.

June leans back to look out the window, it was true, the entire spring was visible from here, she shrugs saying "you're right...so?"

"It's just a strange coincidence that you would be standing there while I'm using it," Cloud says walking over to her, June cocks her head.

"What're you trying to say exactly?"

Cloud narrows his eyes at her and she raises a brow, "were you watching me?"

June gasps, she puts her hands on her hips saying "really Cloud?"

He shrugs a shoulder sitting on the mat, June turns away from him saying "that's so low."

"Why would I watch you bathe anyway Cloud," she asks turning to him, he shrugs making her glare at him.

"I'm not that type of person, I don't prey on others...especially not...spiky headed ones," she says bringing a hand to her chest.

Cloud nods leaning back on the mat, June shakes her head turning to leave, "the nerve of some...wait."

She turns back to him saying " how do you know?"

Cloud glances at her saying "how do I know what?"

"That you can see the spring directly from this window," June says shaking her head.

Cloud sits up now meeting the ferocity in June's eyes with his own, he looked flustered though, almost guilty.

"I-I've stayed here before," he says flippantly.

"Yeah...sure...you know Cloud when people tend to blame things on others it's because they've done it and so they want to pass the torch," June says walking over to him.

Cloud waves his hand at her laying down again, "don't flatter yourself."

June gasps, "don't flatter myself...Cloud you came up with this, he glances at her and she sighs.

"I wasn't watching you," she mutters shaking her head, he sits up again when she turns to leave.

"June...I-"

She turns to him shaking her head, "it's OK Cloud," she walks over to him and she drops herself next to the mat, "you're just...having trouble coming to terms with all these new confusing feelings that you're having."

Cloud quirks a brow and June smirks.

"Yay Cloud, I am pretty cute but you don't have to watch me from a window like some little boy...you could have come out...said hi...I would have been fine with it," she sighs shrugging.

Cloud glares at her and she begins to giggle, she nudges him saying " just kidding...I'm not angry with you...just mildly amused, she stands turning to the door again.

"Well, I'm gonna leave you to your lascivious imaginings and dreams...I have a town to explore."

Cloud cocks his head when June begins taking short slow steps toward the door, she begins to whistle as she saunters over to the door, she glances back at him with a smile.

"Unless," she turns her back to the door, "you wanna come with me?"

Cloud raises a brow, "not interested," he sighs getting ready to lay down again but she rushes over grabbing his arm.

"Oh, come on Cloud. You've been sleeping all day!"

Cloud snatches his arm away saying " you should have been as well," June slaps her forehead getting to her feet again.

"Why is this always so difficult," she sighs turning away.

"You can't always make people do what you want them to do," Cloud mutters turning away as well, June glances back at him.

What was he talking about, she never tried to force things on other's. In fact she did just the opposite, she turns to him saying " what do you mean?"

Cloud sighs saying "sometimes people aren't gonna go with your plan...you have to be prepared to accept that."

June cocks her head, she'd never tried to sway anyone- ,"hm," she turns away thinking back to her previous behavior, she could be a little pushy and more than once she'd 'worked' her way into getting what she wanted. She frowns, walking over to the mat.

"I'm sorry Cloud," she whispers sitting down before him, "I just really wanted to look around but I didn't want to go by myself."

Cloud shrugs making her fall away from him onto the mat in mock exhaustion, Cloud raises a brow about to speak but Godo bursts into the room with a smile on his face.

"Ah, you two are awake good...Cloud the boats-man has returned, he said that he could take you Rocket Town whenever you are ready."

Cloud immediately gets to his feet saying " OK, we'll be there in a few," Godo nods leaving the room again, June sits up running her fingers through her hair.

"Rocket Town," she asks getting to her knees.

Yeah, it's the closest town to Nibelheim from here," Cloud mutters walking over to her mat and picking something up, he turns to her holding out two guns, June raises a brow taking them.

"I thought that with some practice you could put those to use," he says walking toward the door.

June gets to her feet nodding, she extends her arms holding the guns at the ready, she smiles to herself; it felt empowering but at the same time wrong somehow, she lowers them with a sigh.

"June."

She looks in Cloud's direction find that he was already gone, she takes a deep breath calling "coming!"

She tucks the guns under her arm rushing after him, once they make it to the boat he goes into his pocket saying "for some reason I feel light on Gil," June bites her lip looking away. She could feel guilt slowly creeping up on her but she didn't want to admit to what she'd done, if fact she would never tell.

"Ah-ha welcome aboard the Elza XII, fastest boat in all the world!"

June quirks a brow, she knew that voice, she backs away muttering "oh god," Cloud glances at her but a soft thud before him brings his attention ahead again. He looks at the old rickety boat and then June again but she looked downward with a frown on her face.

"Ah, thunder thighs it is you who wishes to ride across the ocean," Yoshi says grinning as he pushes his captain's hat further back on his head.

Cloud's brow shoot upward when the small man jumps on June wrapping his arms around her legs, "ha-ha-ha from here you look almost attractive."

June sighs saying "ha-ha very funny."

Yoshi jumps away from her saying " you know how I kid," he waves his hand at her and she nods.

Yoshi looks at Cloud saying "oh you travel with him...hello Mr. Strife," June gasps when Cloud nods to him.

"So why are you traveling with her...do you not like eating," Yoshi whispers cutting his eyes at June, Cloud rubs the back of his head when June folds her arms turning away, Yoshi laughs again.

Yoshi grins at June saying " you are too fun to tease!"

"You've met," Cloud mutters following Yoshi onto the boat, June nods.

"Unfortunately."

"No-no don't pretend you don't love me," Yoshi whispers clasping his hands as he leans toward her, June grimaces and once again Cloud looks away uncomfortably.

"Well I don't, you're very rude to me for no reason," June mutters looking aside.

Yoshi waves his hand at her walking away from them, Cloud looks at June who rolls her eyes at the ship's deck.

"Get ready because we're taking off," Yoshi calls from inside the boat.

June folds her arms looking up at peach tinted sky, "when will we get there," she asks looking at Cloud, he stares off into the distance saying "tonight."

June nods walking away from him as the ship pulls away from the dock, Yoshi had snatched away her happy, not only did he insist on insulting her, he could also blow her secret out of the water and straight into Cloud's lap.

She leans against the edge of the ferry with a yawn, now she was beginning to grow sleepy, "maybe I should have listened."

"Yeah, but you never do."

She smiles when Cloud leans against the boat next to her, she turns her body to his saying "well...you know I did agree to certain conditions...a curfew wasn't one of them."

"Rule No. 4: When I-"

"When Cloud says sleep June sleeps," June says turning and placing her back against the wall," oh Cloud...you're so predictable."

Cloud glares at her and she laughs, he steps in front of her saying " as a matter of a fact...yeah but what I going to say was when I'm asleep leave me alone."

"Gotcha," June breathes turning toward the ocean, she raises a brow when he doesn't budge.

"Um...is there something else...should I write it down," she mutters turning to him again.

He folds his arms saying " I'm just thinking...," she scratches her cheek.

"A weird place to think don't you...think," June says folding her arms.

"Hm...you should know all about that," Cloud mutters walking a ways away from her, June sighs in exasperation.

"I was not watching you!"

Cloud leans against the boat saying "mm-hm, June puts her hands on her hips.

"It's true...but...what were you thinking about?"

"Is this a part of your learning process," he asks when she pulls herself up to sit at the edge of the boat., she nods saying "delving into the onion patch."

Cloud glares at her and she does the same, he sighs and she follows.

"What are you doing," he asks turning on her, she laughs and he grunts turning away from her again.

"Are you really angry with me," she asks walking around him to face him again, he goes to shrug his shoulder but she beats him to it. He shakes his head looking down when she walks past him brushing her fingers against the top of his arm.

"Typical."

Cloud turns to look at her and she smiles, "so tell me...what's on your mind," Cloud folds his arms looking down.

"Gonna have to get you a cell phone...me as well," he mutters glancing up at her.

June squeals and he glares at her, she spins saying " my very own cell phone!"

She claps her hands but Cloud's harsh gaze brings her to an abrupt halt, she leans toward him saying " you know...things like that...are special to me...all of my firsts are special...washing a dish...cooking a meal...getting someone's drink right at the bar."

She turns away seemingly about to walk away but she pauses, "my first friend," she turns to him her eyes glowing with happiness, "do you know who that is," she leans downward pushing her hands behind her back. Cloud sighs when she begins edging toward him, he grabs her shoulders saying "I get it."

She smiles standing straight, she turns to the water saying "Cloud...do you remember your first friend?"

Cloud frowns, what a strange question.

"Uh...well...I would say Tifa...but...I had friends before her...uh...maybe...no...I don't remember."

This seems to make her sad, she sighs saying "well...that's disappointing."

He raises a brow and she folds her arms.

"I...won't forget right...all of my firsts," she asks glancing at him.

He grunts shrugging a shoulder, how would he know?

"Hmm, so that means...that...I'd better make the most of this huh?"

Cloud grunts when she grabs his arms shaking him, "and you'd better not forget me...I may not be your first friend or even you best friend...or even...even a good one...but...I don't want to be forgotten not like all the others...I'm special...so...you'd do well to treat me as such."

She slowly brings the shaking to a halt, she looks at his chest saying "because I may not be here at the end...and that kills me...and even if I am...someday I'm gonna have to go my own way. I-If I'm to die after we destroy Jenova I want at least one person to remember me, it would mean that I mattered...that...I...I really did exist."

She looks up at Cloud now, he looks away and she sighs.

What did she want him to say, that he'd never forget her? He couldn't say something like that, he'd forgotten friends and a whole lot more before. However, he knew that wasn't the reason, he did have the courage to say something so..., he couldn't even put a name to it.

June loosens her grip on him saying "I...I get it," she edges away from him and back over to the side of the boat, "it's unfair to ask something like that of you...since...who knows, when I go to the Lifestream I may forget you as well."

She brings her hands to her face, she shakes her head leaning over, "I'm sorry that I put you in such an uncomfortable spot, I should have known better."

Cloud grimaces, he didn't want her to think of it that way but once again that wasn't something he was prepared to say to her, he folds his arms tossing his head back.

"It's OK, you don't know much so..."

She laughs leaning up, she begins wiping at her face furiously, "why do you insist on being mean to me?"

She turns to him when he ignores her, she tilts her head studying his face but this immediately brings his gaze to her own, June smiles when he looks away again.

"Well...I'm gonna go inside the ship...perhaps there's a place to sleep there," June sighs moving away from him.

Cloud nods and she turns walking toward the back entrance of the ship, he turns back to the ocean, somehow he felt that he'd now bitten off more than he could chew. June seemingly really believed in him and saw him as some sort of...good guy, he looks at the sky. More than once he'd let his friends down, he didn't want her to have to deal with his wishy-washy way of being and then be disappointed at the end. He sighs, he'd just try to do the right thing as it came to him and hope for the best, though hoping had never done him any good before.

The next morning June sits up in bed stretching her arms, she felt fully rested and ready to go, she crawls over to the window, all she could see was dirt and trees.

"We must have made it, but why would he leave me here," she mutters rubbing her head, she crawls out of the bed stretching once her feet hit the floor.

She turns back to the bed her mind roaming back to the night before, what had at one time been a rather good night had turned horribly bad. She brings a hand to her head, the dream she'd had the night before had imprinted itself into her mind's eye. She feels her face, in the dream she'd been covered in nicks and bruises, one that stood out was a small cut under her eye. She rubs it and sighs when she feels no pain, she turns away folding her arms. The dream took place in a snowy region but the once pale snow had been dirtied with blood and grime. From what she could see there was no one left standing but her and even she could barely keep herself on her feet. On top of one the mounds of snow and blood lay a single pink ribbon, June sighs. She'd seen that ribbon before but she couldn't put her finger on it, part of her wanted to tell Cloud and see what he made of it but he already saw her as kind of off, no reason to give him more proof than he already had.

"Ah so you're awake, good you can help me with the repairs to the ferry!"

June turns to see Yoshi standing into the doorway, "I should have known this ferry can't transport whales!"

She sighs, and the rudeness continues.

"What's wrong with the ship," she mutters folding her arms, he grabs his head.

"We moved into the dock too quickly and the bottom of the boat is damaged, we need to plug it up," Yoshi says shaking his head.

She smiles, looking for whatever Yoshi needed would give her a chance to explore and the fact that Cloud wasn't there to rain on her parade was a bonus.

"Ok, so what do you need," she asks walking toward the door.

"I need you to go down there and insert your fat butt into the hole-," he laughs when June turns on him angrily, "no-no, I sent Cloud out to find some Congealed Flan Essence and so I need you to find some wood."

"Wood...hmm but where," she grabs the door knob getting ready to leave out.

"You could start at the carpenter's or even the armory, they may be able to help," Yoshi says walking out when she opens the door.

June follows him out and onto the deck, he turns to her saying " Rocket Town is known for it's great natural resources...so...this shouldn't be hard."

She nods walking over to the edge of the boat, she sighs, she wouldn't be having the journey she'd thought. Rocket Town was small and quaint, it had the look of a newly established village, all over people were working on this and that. June lets out a long sigh, then maybe she could learn something from them.

"Be right back," she mutters walking down the ramp and into the town.

June walks toward the middle of the small encircled place, from this point of view she felt she could see everything.

"Sonja's Diner...," Sonja's Diner looked more like a Lemonade stand but that doesn't keep June's mind off the prospects of food, she rubs her stomach. It had been so long since she'd eaten, she couldn't wait to get back to Edge, she'd devour anything and everything Tifa cooked, except the vegetable soup of course. She goes into her pocket pulling out the leftover Gil from her exchange with Yoshi, "25..26... ... ... 150."

She closes her hands around the coins nodding to herself, she would be getting herself something to eat.

She walks over to the stand peering up at the large wooden menu above her head, "fried rice...eel fried rice...white rice with sauce...vanilla flan...and more rice," she turns her attention to the other row on the menu.

"Battery Cap-Cap-..."

"I wouldn't suggest that for an outsider...the Battery Cap is known for it's poisonous flesh...we do our best to clean it but we've almost become immune to the stuff...I can't say what would happen to you."

June glances at the speaker, a larger woman with blonde hair and rosy cheeks stared down at her from the side of the stand.

"Oh...ok...so what do you suggest," June says smiling up at the menu.

The woman glances up at it as well before saying "our beer battered Chickabo wings are to die for, June gasps.

Chickabo!?

"Chickabo...that wouldn't be a baby Chocobo, would it," June asks folding her arms.

The woman nods, "fresh too."

June covers her ears turning away, "b-but that's just so evil...Chocobo's are the sweetest things!"

The woman sighs in exasperation," ah god you're not one of those Choco-headed idiots...Chocobo's are tasty and good source of food...did Ergheiz send you here...if so tell him I said F off!"

June gasps again turning to the woman, she sneers grabbing the menu from the stand and walking away.

"Wow...so mean," June whispers shaking her head, "and who's Ergheiz?"

June turns away from the stand folding her arms over her stomach, "and I'm still hungry!"

"Yoo-hooo, you girl!"

June looks up to see Yoshi calling to her from the boat, he sneers saying "wood!"

She groans turning away, "fine-fine-fine, let's find this wood."

She turns in a full circle looking for the carpentry store but all she finds is a back alley with a large sign above it.

"Raul's Carpentry Palace...," she cocks her head, "some palace...but...OK."

She walks into the alley to find a small older man sawing away at a large piece of wood, she gasps when she sees a large pile of wood sitting behind him. She grins saying "this is the right place be!"

The man looks up at her and he smiles saying "hello young lady, anything I can do for you today?"

June points to the wood behind him saying " yeah...I'd like some wood."

He turns back to pile with a frown, "I worked hard getting all of this wood together...so I'm not just gonna part with it for free."

June groans, was everything money with these people, she clenches her coin even tighter in her hand, she was hoping to find something to eat with it.

She grimaces, her ill gotten coin….

She begrudgingly holds out the Gil.

"Ugh, I'm so hungry...," she groans as she teeters away from the alley carrying a stack of wood over her shoulder.

As hard as she tried to be happy with her decision she just could not, her stomach would not allow her to.

Suddenly the weight of the wood is lifted away from her shoulder, she frowns when Cloud moves past her carrying the wood.

"Where have you been," she mutters following him.

He glances at her saying " helping Yoshi fix up the boat...we got tired of waiting."

She sighs, "I didn't take that long..."

He raises a brow and she laughs, "so are we taking the boat anywhere else?"

He shakes his head, "we're taking a bike to Nibelheim and from there Costa Del Sol where we'll catch a boat to Junon ...I want to see if Cid will take us to Icicle Inn...I'm low on Gil...must've lost some along the way."

June grimaces looking down, there it was again, her greatest secret staring her in the face.

"Well maybe we can make some along the way," she mutters shrugging.

Cloud shrugs as well saying "sometimes monsters carry it but...that's a lot of work.

"Nothing we can't handle," June sings with a smile.

Cloud sighs, "you've never even fought a monster before...I'd rather not risk it...we'll make it somehow."

June nods but dejectedly, she wanted a chance to show him what she could do, even though that wasn't something she was completely sure of.

"Ok, Cloud," she mutters bumping him gently with her hip, he looks down at her and she smiles, he looks ahead again but not in time to catch a split in the earth.

He nearly trips but he catches himself, the wood however is not so lucky.

It hits the ground with loud clanking noises, June grabs his arm saying " are you ok."

He grunts pulling his arm away, "I would have been if you didn't knock the wood out of my hand," June gasps.

"I did not...you tripped," she says as he begins picking up the wood, he shakes his head lifting the wood onto his shoulder again.

June turns away with a frown, he walks past her nudging her with his arm, she looks up to see him waiting silently ahead of her, June rubs her arm rushing to his side again as he begins to walk.

One hour, and thousands of insults later, Yoshi's ship is back in tip-top form, June grimaces looking at the crude patch job that Cloud had done, well as tip-top as it was going to get.

"That will have to do," Yoshi says looking up at Cloud, "so are you leaving."

Cloud nods saying " I got us a ride to Nibeilheim."

Yoshi grins June's way and she cringes getting ready for the onslaught, he rushes over to her hugging her around the legs.

"I'm going to miss you...come and see me sometime."

She glances at Cloud who watched with mild amusement, "I-I will."

"Ok, but make sure to eat less...or I fear next I see you, you may have blown up!"

June sighs when he falls away from her legs laughing, she jerks her head toward the exit of the ship walking away from Cloud who watches Yoshi for a while before following.

When he finds June she's checking her body from top to bottom, she glances up at Cloud saying "am I fat?"

Cloud folds his arms, he had two choices in this matter, tell her the truth and heal her of her body image woes or lie and get a laugh from it.

She turns away saying " I don't even want to hear what you're gonna say."

Cloud walks next to her saying "you're not fat...in fact you could stand to gain some weight."

June glances at him from the corner of her eye, "really."

Cloud nods walking down the ramp of the boat and into the town, June runs her hand across her stomach, how could she be fat when she barely ate, her stomach growls and she groans.

"We need to find some food and soon," she whispers following Cloud.

He leads her to the edge of town where a small motorcycle sat, on the side of the motorcycle was a car that connected to its middle.

"Um, Cloud...why-"

"That's where you're going to sit," Cloud mutters getting on the bike.

June gasps and he nods, she climbs into the car sitting back, "this is so weird."

"Oh and I have something for you," he says leaning over, she turns to see a helmet in his hand.

June takes it saying " so we meet again."

"Put it on."

June pulls the helmet on as he starts the bike, she gasps when it's engine coughs and shakes, it sounded nothing like the Fenrir.

"It's just a rental...a bad one at that...I doubt it has enough fuel to get us to Costa Del Sol...so it's good we're stopping at Nibelheim first."

June looks at ahead saying " why were going there anyway."

He sighs saying " I've got to check something out."

June glances at him when he suddenly pushes them forward and out of the town, she sighs, at first she was happy to be on her feet but now she was even happier to be back on the road.

**Next: Darkness on the Horizon**


	7. Chapter 7

**-Darkness on the Horizon-**

The ride to Nibelheim seemed to stretch on forever, every time Cloud seemed to be slowing it was all the fault of the rickety scrap of metal he fought to control. June throws her legs over the side of her little buggy, she felt like sleeping but the loud coughs coming from the bike startled her awake every time they erupted.

"Cloud, are we almost there," she asks leaning her head back to look at him.

He nods, "it's just around this mountain."

June sits up excitedly, "what's it like Cloud, Nibelheim."

He shrugs a shoulder saying " it's a calm place, very relaxed. It's in the boonies so it's nothing like Edge and almost the polar opposite of Junon...I think...you'll like it, it's going to be different from everything else you've seen...and its my hometown so you'll have room to run around...I know nobody'll hurt you there."

June smiles leaning forward in her seat, "your hometown...Cloud...can I ask you something else?"

He nods.

She cocks her head, "do I have a hometown?"

He shrugs, he couldn't say for sure but he didn't want to hurt her, by his word she could be so easily broken.

"Where did you take your first breath," he mutters looking at her.

"Hmm...," June mutters lowering her head and furrowing her brows, "I think...I woke up in that church...does that make the church my hometown."

Cloud lowers his head to hide his obvious amusement, "no June...Midgar is your hometown."

"Oh...because the church is in Midgar, ha-ha how silly of me!"

Cloud glances at June when she begins to laugh, it was becoming easier for him to travel with her as he learned the persona of the girl behind the big story, it was also becoming more believable. Her innocence, or what some what called naivet kept her from able to tell such a tale, at this point no matter how hard he tried, he could not wrap his mind around the thought of her making this up.

June sits up more when a small town comes into the distance, she raises a brow; it looked no different from Junon to her, she glances at Cloud who now eyed the town with narrowed eyes.

"What's going on here," he mutters coming to an abrupt halt, she edges out of her car saying " Cloud it's...nice."

She thought that Junon was a beautiful place, but the way Cloud described Nibelheim seemed even better, he gets off the bike walking next to her.

For the most part it looked the same, but right in the middle of town a large building had been placed where the old Shinra mansion had once stood.

"What is that," Cloud mutters walking past June and toward the building.

June glances at the bike, she jerks her thumb toward it saying " um...Cloud aren't you gonna move it?"

"We have to get fuel...and trust me no one will want it."

June nods following him further into town, Cloud squints up at a large sign above the newly built building.

"The New Honeybee Inn...what is that doing here!?"

June winces at the edge in Cloud's voice, she'd never heard him yell before, she leans over touching his arm.

"C-Cloud...what is it," she mutters looking up at the building.

He looks down at her, he sighs looking ahead, he shakes his head saying " it's a...a-"

"Cloud..."

Cloud turns to the voice as June continues to puzzle over the building, he folds his arms saying " hey Red, what're you doing here?"

Red XIII gives Cloud what looks like a smile, "I'm actually headed toward Edge...I decided to stop here for today," he looks up at the Honeybee Inn, "ah so you've headed right to the main attraction...every night dozens of men from all around pour into that building...it's unfortunate really."

Cloud grunts jerking his head toward the building, "when was this built?"

Red XIII sighs, "about two months ago...kind of ruins the quaintness of the town huh Cloud?"

"Yeah, I don't like," Cloud mutters shaking his head.

June turns to them saying " ah Cloud...wha- that's a big dog," she bends down in front of Red XIII with a watery smile, "and you're talking to it?"

Red XIII looks up at Cloud saying "who is she?"

June gasps falling away from Red, she covers her mouth with her hands, a talking dog, how?

Cloud gestures toward June saying " her name is June...we're traveling together."

Red XIII grins, "so you've finally found love."

Cloud let's out a sharp breath of surprise while June lowers her head to hide her blush, Cloud snorts.

"It's not like that, why are you guys so interested in my love life," Cloud grunts looking aside.

Red XIII laughs saying "we worry about you Cloud, you always seem so detached...finding out that you allowed someone in would be very surprising."

June looks up at Cloud when he begins shaking his head, "that none of your business..."

Red XIII sighs saying " I know, but-...like I said we worry," he turns away, "are you headed toward the Inn?"

Cloud nods saying " yeah...June," he looks down at June who still watched Red XIII with wide eyes and her cheeks tinted pink. She sighs looking down, how could a talking dog stir her so much? Cloud holds his hand out for her saying " come on," June takes his hand smiling up at him, was her admiration for Cloud turning into something more than just a friend/mentor relationship, she had never thought about it because it was just easier that way. No use delving into feelings she didn't understand.

Cloud lifts her to feet saying "you sure like to throw yourself around," June nods.

"Yeah...but I was just a little surprised...I've seen dogs in Edge and they didn't speak," she mutters looking at Red XIII as they begin to walk behind him.

"Red isn't a dog...he's...he's just not a dog," Cloud whispers to her, June folds her arms. In her opinion, if it looked like a dog, walked like a dog and spoke...like a human, she smiles rubbing the back of her head, it's not a dog.

Red XIII turns to them, "you're also going to Edge?"

"Yeah(Yup)."

"Then we should go together, I plan to leave tomorrow morning," Red XIII says turning back to the road.

Cloud nods saying "OK...June, he turns to her and she nods.

"It's getting dark but if you want to have a look around go ahead, I'm going to the Inn to rest up j-."

"OK," June breathes turning to run away from him but he grabs her by the wrist pulling her back.

"Just be there before it gets too late, if you're not I'm coming to look for you and I'm sure you don't want that...I'm not nice when I'm tired."

June brings her hand to his muttering "sure-sure...got it," she gently pushes his hand off her wrist before turning on her heel and walking away from him and toward the end of town.

Red XIII walks over to Cloud saying "why do you travel with her?"

"It's a long story," Cloud mutters turning toward the Inn, Red XIII nods listening as they make their way toward it.

"Agh...oh no...I think I gonna starve to death," June groans holding her stomach when it rumbles in protest of her careless actions, she glances back at the road that she'd left Cloud.

"Does he even get hungry," she mutters shaking her head, she groans when her stomach rumbles again, "gotta find something to eat!"

She turns walking ahead until she reaches that building again, except this time it was lit up with purple and red lights, now she could clearly read the glittering sign.

"The New Honeybee Inn...I wonder...why would Cloud go to the other Inn if there's one right here...and it's prettier," she mutters scratching her cheek. June walks up the stairs to the building before going in.

"Wow...and even prettier inside," she breathes.

The interior with covered with gold, gold couches, golden walls and a golden bar area.

June walks over to the bar saying " look at that," over the counter were large plates of BBQ chicken wings, her stomach roars at her to get the chicken but she fights against it.

"Hey...a female customer...hmm whatever...what are you looking for tonight," a woman drifts over and behind the bar, she points to a large screen with female names on it but June's eyes were glued on the chicken. The woman glances back at it saying " oh the wings...their free for customers," she grabs the plate sliding them across to June. June gasps looking at the woman, she wanted to get to her knees and thank her but she would not move away from the wings, she nods to her before diving into the mountain of chicken.

"So...uh what do you want," the woman says wincing when June comes up for air.

"Water please," June mutters going back to her chicken.

The woman quirks a brow grabbing a bottled water from under the bar, June snatches it away uttering a quick thank you to the woman, she chugs it down letting out a large sigh when she's done.

"Ah...that hit the spot," she sighs wiping her hands with a napkin, the woman puts a hand to her hip.

"So..."

June shrugs saying " I'm done," she stands turning to leave but a man suddenly jumps in her way.

"Wow-wee wont'cha look at this one...you came for a job sweet-cheeks?"

June cocks her head, "sweet-cheeks...a job...uh...what kind of job?"

He grabs grabbing her by the hand, he pulls her past the bar where the woman still stood watching June apprehensively.

"Serving men here at the Inn," the man says smiling down at her, "you're a doll...beautiful...sexy...you belong here!"

June blushes looking away, he smirks when a woman walks past them wearing her uniform, "Sandra lookin' good!"

June looks over at Sandra, she wore a skimpy bee costume something June could never see herself in.

"What do you mean by serving," June mutters looking over the Inn again, men covered every crevice, eating chicken and chugging beers.

"For the new ones we set you up on the floor...just servin' drinks baby...the big stuff comes later," He mutters grinning down at her.

June shakes her head, she couldn't take a new job when she already had one, "I'm sorry but I already work somewhere else."

He scoffs saying, "where!?"

"The Seventh Heaven Bar in Edge," she says proudly.

He laughs saying, " never heard of it baby...but I can tell you that you'll make more here...whatever they pay ya there I'll pay triple."

June's eyes widen, she'd never tripled anything.

She rubs her arm, she'd only work here on one condition.

"How much are you talking...is it possible to make say...500 Gil in a night-," she cringes when he laughs at her.

"500 Gil...baby...the lowest amount here is about 4000 a night," he says smiling at her.

June gasps, she could pay Cloud back and still have pocket change of her own, she takes his hand saying, "I'll do it!"

He grins saying, " see baby...I knew with a little persuasion you'd come around...you sexy little beast...Katy!"

A woman with short black hair makes her way over to June, she grins saying, "a new girl."

June nods and the girl takes her hand.

"Let's get you suited up," Katy says pulling June toward the back of the Inn.

Katy grabs a costume of a large rack saying, " you should wear this one...hmm...and your hair," she walks behind June taking her hair and tying it into a ponytail.

"There are three things to remember while working here, smile, flirt and think sexy beeish thoughts!"

June quirks a brow when Katy slaps a hair-band on her head with two long black antenna's coming from it.

"Um...ok...but I'm going to be serving drinks right...," June mutters when Katy grabs a small glass container from the bottom of the rack, sprawled across the top was the word 'pollen'.

She grabs a handful throwing it June's way, June covers her eyes, turned out pollen was nothing more than scented gold glitter and dust.

Katy smiles saying, "and when you greet a customer always say the slogan."

"Slogan," June mutters quirking a brow...

"So she's not like us," Red XIII mutters looking at Cloud who sat at the Inn's bar drinking a soda, Cloud shakes his head.

"She's done some amazing things...saved our lives more than once," Cloud mutters shaking his head.

Red XIII cocks his head saying, "and you believe her story?"

Cloud nods, "she has no reason to lie to me..."

Red XIII sighs saying, "what do the others think," Cloud cocks his head thinking it over for a while.

"They believe her as well."

Red XIII smiles saying, "now you've piqued my interest...I wish to speak with her of the Lifestream."

Cloud glances up at the clock in the corner of the room, "well it's getting late...she should be here soon."

"Hey baby...buzz on over here," June gasps when a man stands waving her over to his table, she glances at Katy who smiles nodding her head.

June makes her way over to him and he grins saying, "wow you're beautiful...baby...what's your name?"

"June," she mutters crossing her arms over her stomach.

"Well June, my friends and I are looking for some entertainment...you workin?"

June cocks her head, entertainment...

"Um...I just serve drinks," she mutters shaking her head, she didn't know what he meant by entertainment but she knew that wasn't her job.

He sighs, "oh you're new...dammit...well then brings us some drinks and come sit with us."

June turns walking over to the bar where the bartender had already filled a platter, Katy rushes over saying, "that was OK...just remember the slogan next time."

"Will do," June says with smile.

She grabs the platter walking it over to the group of men, the man who called her stands saying "have a seat baby...let's talk." June glances at Katy who shakes her head.

"Sorry to say this but the only thing that slows this girl down is the sound of Gil," June says reciting some of what Katy had told her to say.

The men laugh, the man grins saying, "we'll pay you double for every minute you sit with us."

June glances at Katy who nods in approval this time.

June plops herself into the seat next to the man preparing herself for some more flirtatious banter...

"Where is she?"

Cloud glances at the sleeping Red XIII and then back at clock, 11:30 PM, he stands walking out of the Inn, there was no reason for June to be out this late unless she'd gotten herself into trouble.

Cloud moves down the road swiftly, every other store in town was closed so she either was in someone's house or..., Cloud pauses at the front of the Honeybee Inn, the bright lights, the sound of music making it to the outside...a June trap.

Cloud walks into the Inn only to be stopped at the door, a small dark skinned woman stood in front of him wearing her uniform.

"Hey there cutie, you a member?"

Cloud shakes his head saying, " I'm just looking for someone," he goes to move past her but she steps into his way, Cloud sighs.

"Sorry but you have you have a membership to enter at this time," she says smiling up at him.

Cloud sighs again, he didn't have the Gil to pay for a membership_ and_ get them to Edge, "I don't have it but I just want to know if someone I know is here."

The girl glances back before saying, "who."

"Her name is June, black hair and green eyes-"

The woman smirks saying, "maybe she's here or-"

She grins when Cloud hands her 700 Gil, "but she's busy right now."

"Busy!?"

She nods saying, "she's your girlfriend or something," she laughs when he looks away muttering in protest.

"Sure whatever, I'm sure you want to see her but you're gonna have to pay a pretty penny, she's new blood."

Cloud glares at her now, he didn't feel like this anymore and if June really was here he just wanted to grab her up and go but this woman stood in his way, he grunts, but time was passing by...June could be doing anything by now.

He hands her the rest of his Gil and she smiles, "great...now I'll get the two of you a room together," the woman walks away but another one replaces her, Cloud sighs.

"Yeah well Sam here has been with every woman here...so you're kinda the flavor of the week," the man says pointing to his friend.

June cocks her head, sometimes when these men spoke it sounded sort of strange.

Been with?

Flavor of the week?

June smiles saying "well uh...let's hope that he finds me a bit more interesting than the other girls here," the men laugh but Sam continues to stare at her with angry looking eyes, June quirks a brow. His gaze hadn't lifted from her since she sat at the table, she nervously grabs her ponytail pulling both of her hands down its legnth.

The Bartender walks over to the group leaning over June shoulder to whisper in her ear, "there's a gorgeous man waiting to see you...he paid me nicely."

June looks up at her and the woman nods saying, "come on...I'll take you to your room."

"Well it was nice," June says to the men getting to her feet, the men suddenly begin pushing Gil into her hands.

"Come back soon baby!"

June turns following The Bartender away, she counts through her Gil gasping when she's finished.

"3000...whoa," she whispers to herself.

The Bartender turns to her saying, "here's your cut from earlier," she hands June 500 Gil.

June smiles saying, "thanks but what am I supposed to do with this guy...aren't I just a server?"

The woman smiles saying "entertain," she leads June down a long golden hall and to a door, she holds it open and as June steps in she whispers, "and don't forget the slogan."

June nods.

When the door closes behind her June immediately jumps into the action.

"Welcome to the Honeybee Inn where the Honies are always sweet and we keep you BUZZED!"

She looks up to see Cloud staring holes into the floor, she grins saying, "oh Cloud it's you," she rushes over to him.

"Sorry...I lost track of time," she says with a nod.

He glares at the floor saying, "what the hell are you doing here?"

"Ha the money of course...it's an easy job," June says smiling.

Cloud glares at her now, "this is what you want to do with your life," she cocks her head looking at him in confusion.

"I do this at home...maybe not dressed like this but-."

"You do this...at...home," Cloud mutters his eyes widening.

"Yeah, serve up drinks," she says folding her arms, she didn't see the problem but if he had one she wished he would just say what it was.

Cloud slaps his forehead, did she really think that this place was just like Tifa's, he grabs her arms saying, " June...you're not a bartender here."

"Huh," she mutters looking up at him, he groans, he didn't know how much she knew on this subject so it was a little uncomfortable having to explain it to her.

Suddenly a loud banging noise starts in the room next door, Cloud cringes when he hears someone moaning, June looks at the wall saying "what's going on in there?"

"June...this isn't what you think it is..."

June looks at Cloud's hands on her arms and then her costume, she then looks at the wall again...

"Cloud...this..."

"It's a..."

"No...it can't be..."

"But June..."

"No...don't say it...don't say it."

"It's a brothel," Cloud says releasing her arms.

June screeches falling away from him, she turning covering her hot face with her hands.

"Why didn't you tell me!?"

Cloud glares at her saying, "how about you ask these questions before taking strange jobs."

June turns to him saying, "I-I...h-he...didn't tell me this," she groans when the moaning next door gets louder, "please Cloud let's leave...I feel so icky!"

Cloud nods rushing over to the door but June grabs his arm, he turns to her and she clasps her hands together preparing to beg.

"Cloud...please...don't let them see me!"

Cloud grabs the doorknob saying, "you didn't have a problem before," she nods.

"Yeah but I didn't think I was being looked at like...that...please Cloud...I'm so embarrassed."

She rushes past him out of the room and into the hall, suddenly out of the next room a man emerges, he smirks at June and Cloud saying, "had fun huh?"

June squeals grabbing Cloud hands, she pulls his arms around her saying, "what a creep!"

Cloud grunts when she takes a step forward still dragging him along.

"What are you doing," Cloud asks trying to create some distance between them however June yanks him back into her.

"I'm trying to keep away their prying eyes," June whispers edging toward the main hall in the brothel.

"But...why...me."

June smiles saying, "because...you're only Cloud...I trust you."

Cloud looks down at her but all he gets is a view down her top, he groans looking away.

"Yeah well let's hurry this up," he mutters looking past her.

Cloud sighs looking downward when they make it back to the main hall of the brothel, the bartender nods toward them filling Cloud with even more embarrassment, June glances back at Cloud whispering "oh god...they think we...we..."

"June, please," Cloud mutters glaring past her.

June nods dragging him behind her to the changing room, she breaks away from him saying "be right back," she disappears behind the door leaving him to his thoughts.

He turns away folding his arms, he was surprised that this had been so easy, he avoided a large awkward bullet but he could still feel his heart pounding in his chest, he shakes his head trying to clear his mind. He didn't want her to see him this flustered, she might get the wrong idea.

June resurfaces wearing her normal clothes, she grabs his arm saying, "now let's get out of here!"

Cloud nods pulling her through the brothel and over to the door but a man suddenly steps in their way.

"Where ya goin sweet cheeks," June looks at her Boss with narrowed eyes.

"I quit," she says moving past him, he frowns when June walks out of the brothel clearly lost in her righteous fury. The man looks at Cloud and he shakes his head, Cloud walks past him but a loud laugh from the man brings him to a halt.

"You must be really happy to see her!"

Cloud blushes profusely when the women around him begin to laugh, he turns to leave but June comes back up grabbing his hand.

"Come on Cloud we're supposed to storm out together," she pulls him down the stairs and away from the building.

Cloud clears his throat gently pulling her back so that he could walk in front of her, he needed to make sure that she didn't see.

"Eek it's cold out here," June whispers wrapping her arms around her body.

Cloud nods, better for him.

"June...I have a question for you."

She nods scurrying to catch up to him but he begins to walk faster, she slows quirking a brow.

"Ok," she mutters walking behind him.

"Why would you try to work there in the first place?"

June grimaces, she glances down at her heavy pockets, she still owed him his money and the truth.

"Uh...well...there's something I have to tell you..."

Cloud nods.

"Back in Wutai...to get this outfit...I took some of your Gil."

Cloud turns to her his eyes narrowed, "what!?"

June shakes her head saying, "I'm sorry but...I didn't have anything else..and...and-"

"You do know that I spent the rest of my Gil to get you out of there right...this wouldn't be the case if you didn't steal from me."

June winces at the word 'steal', she could feel tears burning at her eyes now, that's not the way she wanted him to see her but the truth was the truth.

"How are we going to get home now."

She goes into her pockets pulling out her Gil, she pushes it into his hands saying, "I'm...I'm sorry..."

Cloud pulls away from her walking into the Inn, June wipes at her tears furiously, she never wanted to make him angry. She looks up at the Inn, she no longer wanted to be there...or anywhere for the matter.

She drifts over to the Inn though her mind fought against her body, she walks inside to find an empty room and counter.

"I hope he doesn't choose to leave me behind," she whispers skulking over to the counter, maybe she'd gotten too comfortable with him, he owed her nothing. He didn't have to put up with her immature shenanigans, June lays her head in her arms on the counter. He'd be annoyed with her before but never so angry, she looks at the Clock, 11:55.

"I guess...I should...sleep," she mutters hiding her face in her arms, she wouldn't be going upstairs, she didn't want push it anymore.

_Wipe it clean...cleanse the planet...take...your...place..._

June wakes with a start, she whimpers pulling away from the counter, she could still feel those cold arms around her, still feel the breath at her ear, telling her...urging her...commanding her.

June turns away from the counter rubbing her arms, but no matter what she did the cold still seeped through to her bones. She steps away from the cold grey of the room only pausing when bright light interrupts her vision, she looks up at a small overhead window. From her place she could hear the tittering of birds, she turns her head to the room behind her, the cold grey had left.

"I'm...awake," she whispers closing her eyes, she groans grabbing her head, "how is this possible...my dream...am I going crazy!"

All night she'd spent trying to get away from the cold grey and the person within it, it was so real...

"June, correct?"

June turns to Red XIII who cocks his head looking her over, "are you OK...you didn't sleep well did you?"

"H-"

"I came down and you were talking to yourself...and crying...bad dream," he asks walking over to her.

June nods saying, "yeah..."

Red XIII moves closer to her and she backs away, "I uh...I'm gonna wait outside," she turns leaving the Inn.

Cloud comes downstairs readjusting the collar of his shirt, he looks around the room saying, "where's June?"

Red XIII turns to him, "she's outside...she seems...unhappy or...bothered-."

Cloud sighs saying, "my fault...don't worry about it."

Red XIII watches as Cloud walks out of the Inn, "what did you do," he asks following him outside.

Cloud suddenly pauses before him making him fall into the backs of his legs, "Cloud-"

He walks around him to see what had stopped Cloud so suddenly, June stood in the middle of the road looking up at the sky, she brings her hands to her head muttering to herself.

"What is wrong with her," Red XIII asks looking up at Cloud.

Cloud shakes his head walking over to her, she looks up at the sky again her mutters turning into hurried whispers, "where...but...where."

Cloud reaches out for her but she stumbles ahead muttering, "are we leaving?"

"Yeah...but Red," Cloud turns to Red XIII, "we won't be going with you today...there's somewhere else we need to stop first."

Red XIII nods saying, "OK...but where is it if you don't mind me asking?"

"I do," Cloud mutters walking toward the end of town, he goes to his side pulling out a small bottle with a thunderbolt printed on the outside.

June turns to Red XIII who sighs shaking his head, she didn't understand Cloud's sudden change in plans either but she didn't plan on asking, she felt it best she just kept her mouth shut and her eyes on the road ahead. She glances up at the sky again, she could feel something there, something scary. She shudders as the bike behind her roars to life, Cloud throws his leg over it saying, "come on June."

He nods his head toward Red XIII saying, " I just don't want the others in my business..., Red XIII nods.

"I understand."

June walks around the bike getting into the car next to Cloud, she waves to Red XIII saying, "it was nice meeting you."

He nods to her as Cloud pulls away leaving Nibelheim behind.

June sits up once they make it to the open world, she turns back in her car sighing, the darkness coming from the sky shook her, she glances at Cloud who watching the world ahead without blinking. She sighs falling back into her seat, "June," she looks up at Cloud and he jerks his head backward, she turns in her seat gasping at the sight of wolves following them.

"Target practice," he mutters to her.

June looks at him apprehensively but she makes no complaint, she goes to her side retrieving the guns. She climbs onto the back of the car extending the guns toward the wolves, she squeezes eyes shut pulling the gun's triggers, she hears Cloud grunt and she opens her eyes, the wolves hadn't even been scratched.

"I...I can't do this," she whispers shaking her head.

Cloud veers to the right and the wolves follow, "June I'm a little tied up here," she looks at him again this time with fear. He could just leave her should she fail to do what he told her to do, they were already on edge.

June readies herself again, she fires off again this time the bullets fly directly into the ground, she groans slapping herself in the head with the back of her hand.

"Gotta focus," she whispers getting ready again, she closes her eyes again pulling the trigger this time the guns begin to shake and shudder in her hands.

"One more."

She opens her eyes to see the one wolf still chasing and the other encased in ice in the back of it, she looks at her guns saying "what."

The barrels were frosted over in ice, she brings the guns up again saying, "Water."

She pulls the triggers and two bullets are released from the guns, the bullets are covered in thick masses of swirling water, she winces when they land on the wolf and he's washed away from them.

"Good, but you need to work on that aim...those guns'll be more effective if you could use them right."

June sits back nodding, her first battle; she wipes her brow. It was scary but she felt good, June lays back in the car waiting for Cloud to stop.

The ride continues for almost an hour before Cloud finally reaches their destination, he gets off the bike saying, "come on."

June sits up, they were in the middle of nowhere, the only sign of civilization she could see was a large train sitting on tracks that reached into the sky, June climbs out of the car following behind Cloud who walks over to the train, a man steps out of it saying, "ah...hey Cloud what's up!"

Cloud folds his arms saying, "nothing," this seems to throw the man off but he laughs anyway.

"Goin up!?"

Cloud nods and the man moves aside saying, "oh...a date," Cloud pauses his eyes digging into the man like a hot blade into a stick of butter.

The man laughs nervously, "uh yeah...have fun!"

June follows Cloud onto the train and to a booth, he slides in and she slides in across from him, like before he glues his eyes to the window wordlessly. June turns to the exit trying to ignore the awkward silence, the train pulls away from the station immediately shooting upward, June falls forward into the seat Cloud sat in, she groans saying, "what the-."

"That's why you should have sat over here in the first place," Cloud mutters not even looking her way.

June pulls herself into the seat preparing for some more silence but Cloud suddenly gets to his feet, he walks out of the booth.

"June."

She stands following him and to her surprise she feels the train coming to a halt under her feet, the car doors open and Cloud steps out, June follows.

"Wow...where are we!"

June turns in a full circle taking in all that she could, she had never seen such a brightly lit place, she pauses at the opening of the mouth of a large pink monster figure, she turns to Cloud who stood a distance away from her talking to a man. She rubs her arm when he looks at her, he jerks his head ahead telling her to follow, as she walks through the gate the man Cloud had just been speaking to bows to her.

"Welcome to The Gold Saucer."

She grabs Cloud's arm squeeing, "The Gold Saucer...Yuffie and Tifa told me all about this place...Cloud...why are we here!"

"Why else do people come to the Gold Saucer," he mutters looking down at her.

June looks ahead, from what she'd heard, fun.

Cloud turns to her making June lower her head, why would he bring her here for fun, after what she'd done.

"This is something that I thought you would want to see," he says as she removes her hands from his arm.

"S-So...you're not angry with me," she mutters peeking up at him, he shakes his head walking away from her.

"If I were we wouldn't be here and besides...it's your money paying for this..."

June gasps rushing after him, she places her hands on his back gently pushing him ahead, "then let's go have fun!"

She pushes him happily through the first area until they get to the square.

"Oh...what's this," June mutters looking at the giant circles around her, Cloud points to one saying, "choose one."

She nods walks along the row, "uh...mm...let's...go to Wonder," she turns to him and he quirks a brow.

"Really, I expected you to choose Chocobo."

She nods saying, "yeah well that's next...what now?"

Cloud takes her hand pulling her in front of him, June glances back at him but he nods his head forward, June bends down peering into the black hole before her.

"Cloud wha-."

Cloud uses his leg to nudge her forward, June screams falling face first into the hole, Cloud looks around before jumping into the hole himself.

June groans getting her hands knees, "ouch," she sits up when Cloud comes falling before her however he lands on his feet.

"You could have just told me," June mutters getting to her feet.

Cloud shrugs walking past her, June pushes her hair back before running after him.

The first floor of the Wonder Square is pretty mundane compared to the outside of the Gold Saucer, Cloud looks down at her and she folds her arms.

"There's arm-wrestling and basketball here," Cloud says looking over the room again, June shakes her head.

"Let's go further up," she grabs his hand pulling him toward the stairs into the next floor.

She rushes onto the second floor clapping her hands when she sees the attractions, "look at that...Cloud...what is it!?"

Cloud looks past her, he nudges her ahead saying "Cait Sith."

June walks over to Cait Sith saying, "it's a cat...on a...toy...," she turns to Cloud and he shakes his head, Cait Sith turns to them and he grins.

"Cloud...it's you!"

June gasps backing away from Cait Sith saying, "a...talking...cat...Cloud why is it that you have so many strange friends?"

Cait Sith shakes his fist at her saying, "talkin' cat...please lady...I'm a hero!"

June looks away deciding to humor him, "I'm sure."

Cloud smirks when Cait Sith begins to hop up and down on the toy, "I'm serious!"

June glances at Cloud who nods, she holds her hand out to the cat saying, "I'm sorry Cat...didn't mean to insu-"

"Don' call me that!"

June backs into Cloud her face now covered in worry, she turns her head to Cloud whispering, "it's an angry cat."

Cloud lowers his head hiding his smirk when Cait Sith begins to throw another tantrum.

"I'M NOT A CAT!"

"Ok!"

June sighs turning away, "I didn't mean to insult you."

Cloud looks down at her just in time to catch a small smile at her lips, she leans down sideways so that she could catch Cloud's eye, "are you smiling?"

Cloud grunts walking around her, "are you working?"

Cait Sith nods," ever since I started working here again I haven't had time to rest...but its fun and I always get to see friends...Yuffie was here yesterday."

Cloud shakes his head, "Yuffie is here everyday."

Cait Sith nods saying, " well...yeah...she's becoming a bit of an annoyance...she's almost used up all of my yearly GP...and she steals prizes from other customers."

June smiles, she missed Yuffie.

"Well that's Yuffie," Cloud mutters shaking his head, "don't want to live with her but she keeps coming back."

Cait Sith nods leaning over to get a better looking at June, "so who is she?"

"We're not dating...she's not my girlfriend...and this is not a date," Cloud says rolling his eyes at the ceiling.

"Whoa there Cloud calm down, I wasn't going to say anything like that..."

Cloud sighs saying "I'm sorry it's ju-."

"But now that you've said it...you two do seem very comfortable with one another...hm..."

Cloud groans when Cait Sith falls over in laughter, June rubs her arm, it was true she and Cloud were very touchy but it had always been that way.

June turns away pondering over this fact, for some reason they'd always been that way.

"No-no really...who is she."

June shakes away the strange thoughts rushing past Cloud and over to Cait Sith, "June...nice to meet you!"

Cait Sith smiles saying, " Cait Sith...so what are you doin with Cloud."

June smiles looking at Cloud from the corner of her eye, he stared at the ceiling, she shakes her head when she notices the blush at his cheeks, she sighs lowering her head, he was so easily bothered. She smiles looking up at him, and so easily teased, she bumps him with her hip saying, "we're...just looking around...he said he wanted to show me something."

Cait Sith grins saying, "something..."

Cloud glares down at June and she smiles charmingly up at him while twisting her body back and forth, he nudges her aside saying, " she's never been here so I wanted to show her around."

"Oh...so you wanted to be the first to show her this world of wonderment...I get it...how romantic," Cait Sith whispers behind his head.

Cloud groans saying, "no...that's not it...June...lets go."

He turns to leave but Cait Sith calls him back, "come on Cloud at least let me tell your fortune before you go."

June gasps and Cloud sighs.

"Read our fortune...Cloud...come on!"

Cait Sith grins when Cloud turns back to them, "hm...so...you'd listen to her," Cloud turns away shaking his head.

"Oh Cloud...come on...I tease you all the time and it doesn't bother you this way," June says looking back at him.

Cloud turns to her and she folds her arms, "I thought we were supposed to be having fun!"

Cait Sith grins saying, "ok...prediction comin right up!"

He turns away pressing a button on a machine behind him, he turns around handing June a slip of paper.

"What you fight for fight's against you," June whispers looking at Cait Sith.

He shrugs saying "that's a rather vague one...want another?"

June nods and he turns away going back to the machine, he turns back holding out another slip of paper.

"Don't try to figure it out with logic, just sit back and enjoy the ride!"

June looks between the two slips of paper, "so- vague."

"Cloud do you want one?"

Cloud shrugs and June nods saying, "yes...give him one."

Cait Sith turns away as Cloud begins to glare down at June, she pats his arm saying, "oh Cloud all is well."

"Here ya go," Cait Sith sings holding a slip out for Cloud, Cloud glares down at it and June leans over to read.

"Time to stop living for others, make yourself happy," June reads aloud, "hm...interesting...another!"

Cait Sith grins holding out a second slip, June takes it apprehensively, why would he already have one.

"Just kiss him," June whispers looking down, she uses her hands to hide her blush when Cait Sith begins to laugh. It wasn't fun, the teasing. Not if it was directed her way, June stuffs the slip into her pocket saying, "well...thanks this was kind of cool."

June turns to the exit saying, "Cloud...we must go and look around some more!"

"Really...it's getting kind of late...I think that you two should go ride the gondola...the firework show is beginning."

June cocks her head, she knew fireworks in theory but she'd never actually seen one.

"That was the plan...but I was hoping we'd get around to seeing the rest of the attractions as well, but you took up all of our time," Cloud mutters in annoyance.

"I did huh," Cait Sith says laughing.

Cloud turns away saying, "we'd better hurry."

June nods saying, "nice meeting you Cat," she turns away laughing when Cait Sith begins to complain, she grabs Cloud's hand saying, "come on!"

Cloud glances back at Cait Sith saying, "we might be back through here," he leads June away and down the stairs.

"Step right up now and ride the gondola...a sight you'll never forget!"

June looks at the golden car before her, "that's what we're riding," Cloud moves past her and onto the Gondola, he falls into a seat when she gets on.

"We're over the place," she whispers sitting next to him, "Cloud...what are we going to do?"

"Have patience."

June sighs, patience was not one of her virtues.

June looks ahead when the gondola begins to move away from its dock, she smiles looking his way, "all alone here...you're really trying huh?"

Cloud sighs and she laughs.

"You know June...you seem to like teasing me but I've noticed how silent you become when someone else does it to you."

June shrugs saying, "well...you're fun to tease...you're always so serious...me...I just...I-."

"You just don't like it when the shoe is on the other foot," Cloud mutters looking at her.

June stands saying " I guess," she moves over to the window saying, "so Cloud...why...why weren't you angry with me?"

"I was angry with you but I got over it," he sighs.

June turns to him leaning against the windowsill, "so quickly?"

He nods pulling himself up the seat so that he could put his feet on the chair, he leans against the gondola wall.

"I've gotten used to things like that."

June quirks a brow and he looks at her saying, "from Yuffie."

June blushes looking down, "well...I'm sorry again...I was being selfish," she sighs walking over to him, she sits at the end of his feet.

"I..I've noticed that sometimes I can be a bit pushy...and...I sometimes do bad things to get what I want...gotta change that," she says looking at him.

"We're all selfish sometimes," Cloud mutters looking at her.

"Not you...look at you...look at me...I couldn't possibly be here without you, and what about how the others see you...you're a hero to all. You're never selfish."

"And in that lies my selfishness, I can't do it all without disappointing some," he mutters looking aside.

"Well you haven't disappointed me so in my book you're great," she says smiling at him, "I couldn't be here without you...I would probably still be sitting in that corner in Edge if it hadn't been for you."

Cloud's eyes widen when she gets to her hands and knees, she shakes her body in a way that reminds him of a cat getting ready to pounce, "you...cared when no one else did...so...I...I'll always think you're great even when you do something you think is selfish."

She makes a move toward him and he stiffens in his seat, "I owe you so much," she crawls over his legs and he sits up more. June pauses when she's a mere two inches away, Cloud feels his face burning but he still tries to catch her eye, she gasps and Cloud frowns when he sees a bright red flashing light in the reflection of her eye.

"It's beautiful," she whispers taking in the fireworks.

Cloud turns in the seat to watch, June almost falls away from him but he catches her, June never breaks gaze with the fireworks as she re-positions herself across his lap, Cloud looks down at her wondering if she'd ever been looking at him at all.

June smiles up at him saying, "this is...this is...Cloud I love them!"

Cloud looks out but June moving around him and sitting next to him brings his attention back to her, she pulls her legs into the seat laying her head on his shoulder.

"It's official...even if I died at the end of this...I will not forget you."

Cloud grimaces when she begins to rub furiously at her face, she removes her hands showing a wistful smile.

"What changed your mind...about helping me," she whispers leaning toward him.

"Truthfully?"

"Yeah."

Cloud looks at the fireworks saying "from what you'd told me...it's possible for people to come from the Lifestream as well...I wanted to see if I could bring someone back...well people."

June quirks a brow saying, "what?"

"Aerith and Zack...you've probably heard their names around."

June shakes her head, she'd heard of only the woman's name and that was from Marlene, she didn't really elaborate on who she was.

"So you wanted to see if you could bring friends back," she mutters.

Cloud nods saying "it's probably stupid but...why not try."

She shrugs, not stupid just highly unlikely.

She sighs, but what did she know?

Everything she thought she knew about the Lifestream and her existence had been challenged and proven wrong.

"Well since you helped me, I'll do everything I can to help you," she mutters laying her head against his shoulder.

"You're talking like this is the end," Cloud says looking at her.

She shrugs, "could be...for me...every day is a sham," she turns to him laying her forehead against his shoulder now.

"You're here now so no, their not," he sighs looking out the window.

June smiles nodding.

He looks downward saying, "I was also thinking about the person who sent you here...for me...I was thinking that it could have been one of them..."

June sits up, and he shrugs.

"By one of your friends..."

He nods saying, "that's why I wanted to know what they sounded like...but it's only thing that makes sense, maybe you were sent here to warn me of some major disaster or...who knows..."

Suddenly the gondola begins to lower under them, Cloud stands and June follows, "aw it's over," she sighs kicking her foot.

Cloud nods saying, "thank god, you have no respect for other people's personal space."

June pauses at the door of the gondola, she could feel a blush creeping up on her cheeks, she turns to him folding her arms behind her.

"Well...I was watching the fireworks...you know how I can be...I'm easily distracted," she says leaning toward him.

"You were climbing over me as if I were some object," Cloud mutters walking past her.

"And you complain about it now," June calls after him.

He grunts making her frown, she clasps her hands together running over to him with a plan slowly forming in her mind.

She grins up at him saying, " that was fun...but I'm tired now...where are we going to sleep?"

"There's a hotel," he says walking past her, he leads her over to a hole that read 'Ghost', June leans toward the hole, she pulls back when she feels Cloud move behind her.

"See you there," she sings jumping in.

June grunts when her feet meet the ground, she stumbles forward saying, "this is not a hotel...," she rubs her arms looking at the multiple tombstones that stood around her.

Cloud falls next to her and she turns to him.

"Um Cloud...where..are we?"

He leads her head and up to a large castle like building, June runs up the stairs behind him saying, " Cloud..."

He pushes open the doors to the castle and June creeps in next to him, she gasps saying, " eek...it's so-."

"Scary," Cloud says mockingly as he walks past her.

June nods rushing after him over to a small desk, he presses the bell on the counter and a loud scream comes from above them, June screams when a ghost appears at the counter.

"May I help you," it says in its ghoulish drawl.

"Yeah(NO), we need two rooms," Cloud cuts his eyes at June who shakes her head furiously, the ghost nods.

"That will be 300G, " The ghost moans.

Cloud puts the coins into a container at the side of the table and the ghost begins to laugh, "enjoy your night."

June clings to Cloud as he begins to climb the stairs at the side of the room.

"Cloud it's not real...right?"

He shakes his head saying, "it's a projection," June slowly moves away from him nodding her head.

Once they make it upstairs two rooms adjacent to each other open before them, "sleep tight," a voice calls from above them, June looks at Cloud and he shakes his head walking toward his room, June turns away but she pauses upon remembering her plan.

"Cloud," she turns to him crossing her arms behind her back, he turns to her leaning against the doorway to his room, she walks over to him with a smile.

"Thank you for bringing me here...I'll never forget this...," she saunters away a grin building at her lips, "my first date."

Cloud sits up abruptly, June titters into her hand, she could feel him getting ready to explode behind her.

"I mean...who knew," she says in between gasps for air, "I've seen the way you look at me but...I...would have never expected."

"The way I...what have I told you about flattering yourself," Cloud grumbles turning away, this brings June's laughter to an abrupt halt.

She turns to him saying, "flatter myself...Cloud...you think I'm cute admit it, Cloud shakes his head folding his arms.

June runs over to him grabbing his arms, "so why is it that you get nervous and start tripping over yourself when you look at me."

He glares down at her saying, "because every time I look your way you're already staring at me."

"Yeah ok," she says folding her arms, "you know Cloud I may be new to this and a little slow on the uptake, but- at least I can admit to it."

Cloud pauses, June smiles when his face turns red.

"Admit what," he mutters making her laugh, she turns away closing her eyes.

"Doesn't matter anymore," she says loftily, she saunters over to him and he casts his eyes downward.

She leans down catching his eye, "good night Cloud."

"Night."

Cloud looks up when June disappears into her room, he sighs.

He wasn't sure if she'd just admitted something to him or teased some sort of confession out of him, Cloud shakes his head walking into his room.

June sighs when she hears his door close, she smiles to herself, how could someone so perfect be so shy.

June sighs walking over to the large bed at the head of the room, "time to sleep June..."

_So close...so close..._

June sits up abruptly, she rubs her eyes trying to wipe away the cold grey of the room, she peeks an eye open but the room was still covered in grey.

_Help..._

_Where..._

_WHERE AM I!_

June screams covering her ears but the voices still invaded her mind, she lays down again wrapping the pillows around her head but she could still hear the anguished screams.

"Please...leave me alone," she pleads, she crawls to the end of the bed but as soon as her foot touches the ground the screaming stops and color rushes back into the room.

"Wha-," she gasps when she hears a knock at the door.

"June, time to go!"

She nods pushing her hair behind her ear, "coming!"

She turns to the head of the bed trying stop her trembling, waking up to a grey scary world every morning had lost it's novelty...

_**Next: The One She Fights For**_


End file.
